{{Short description|American politician}} {{for|the paleobotanist or the other politician|C. Kevin Boyce|Kevin Boyce (Barbadian politician)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kevin Boyce | image = Kevin L Boyce 2016.jpg | office = Member of the Franklin County Commission | term_start = January 3, 2017 | term_end = | predecessor = Paula Brooks | successor = | state_house1 = Ohio | district1 = 25th | term_start1 = May 6, 2012 | term_end1 = December 31, 2016 | predecessor1 = W. Carlton Weddington | successor1 = Bernadine Kent | office2 = Treasurer of Ohio | governor2 = Ted Strickland | term_start2 = January 7, 2009 | term_end2 = January 9, 2011 | predecessor2 = Richard Cordray | successor2 = Josh Mandel | office3 = Member of the Columbus City Council | term_start3 = September 11, 2000 | term_end3 = January 6, 2009 | predecessor3 = Frederick Ransier | successor3 = Michelle Mills | birth_name = Kevin Lewis Boyce | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|10|5}} | birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = Emilia Strong Sykes | children = 2 | education = University of Toledo (BA)<br>Central Michigan University (MPA) | website = {{url|kevinlboyce.com|Campaign website}} }} '''Kevin Lewis Boyce''' (born October 5, 1971<ref>{{Cite web|title=Boyce's character was born in tragedy, many say|url=https://www.dispatch.com/article/20090111/news/301119601|access-date=2021-01-09|website=The Columbus Dispatch|language=en}}</ref>) is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party who currently serves as President of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. Formerly, he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 25th District from 2012 to 2016, a member of Columbus City Council, and was the Ohio State Treasurer from 2009 to 2010.
In the March 2016 Democratic primary election, Boyce was selected as the Democratic nominee to run for incumbent Paula Brooks' seat on the Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners in the 2016 general election. Boyce ran for, and was elected to a second term in 2020<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kovac|first=Marc|title=O'Grady, Boyce headed toward new terms as Franklin County commissioners|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/county/2020/11/03/democrats-win-reelection-franklin-county-commissioner/3745504001/|access-date=2021-01-11|website=The Columbus Dispatch|language=en-US}}</ref> and a third term in 2024.
==Education== Boyce graduated from Columbus East High School in 1990.<ref name="PCNH">{{cite news|url=http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/article/20081223/UPDATES01/81223011|title=Strickland announces appointment of Boyce as Treasurer of State|date=December 23, 2008|agency=Associated Press|publisher=Port Clinton News Herald|page=1|access-date=December 23, 2008|archive-date=January 31, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131191129/http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/article/20081223/UPDATES01/81223011|url-status=dead}}</ref> He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Toledo in 1995 and a Master of Public Administration degree from Central Michigan University in 2004.<ref name="Council" /><ref name="Courier" />
==Career== Prior to holding political office, Boyce was the executive director of the KnowledgeWorks Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes college access for high school students.<ref name="Courier">{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/12/22/daily35.html|title=Columbus councilman named state treasurer|last=Bell|first=Jeff|date=December 13, 2008|publisher=Business Courier of Cincinnati|page=1|access-date=December 23, 2008}}</ref> He was also the executive director of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus from 1997 to 1999.<ref name="Council">{{cite web|url=http://www.aamec.us/Councilman%20Boyce%20Bio.html |title=Kevin L. Boyce |publisher=Columbus City Council |access-date=December 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415222543/http://www.aamec.us/Councilman%20Boyce%20Bio.html |archive-date=April 15, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Courier" /> He managed Charleta B. Tavares' unsuccessful campaign for Ohio Secretary of State in 1998, and was Chief of Staff for the Minority Caucus of the Ohio House of Representatives from January 1999 to September 2000.<ref name="Dispatch">{{cite news|url=http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/12/23/boyce.html?sid=101|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130208041557/http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/12/23/boyce.html?sid=101|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 8, 2013|title=Boyce to be next state treasurer|last=Hallett|first=Joe|date=December 23, 2008|publisher=The Columbus Dispatch|page=1|access-date=December 24, 2008}}</ref>
On September 11, 2000, Boyce was appointed to Columbus City Council. He was elected to one of three open Council seats in the November 6, 2001 election and won another four-year Council term on November 8, 2005.<ref name="Dispatch"/> On the council, Boyce ultimately served as President pro Tempore and as Chairman of the Finance and Zoning Committees.<ref name="Post">{{cite news|url=http://www.columbuspost.com/news/headlines347.html|title=Africa awaits Boyce|last=Thornton|first=Pamela Glason|publisher=Columbus Post|page=1|access-date=December 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624023920/http://www.columbuspost.com/news/headlines347.html|archive-date=June 24, 2009|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="AP">{{cite news|url=http://www.ohio.com/news/ap?articleID=1328067&c=y |title=Source: Boyce to be next Ohio Treasurer |last=Majors |first=Stephen |author2=Julie Carr Smyth |date=December 23, 2008 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Akron Beacon Journal |page=1 |access-date=December 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615134724/http://www.ohio.com/news/ap?articleID=1328067&c=y |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
On December 23, 2008, Democratic Governor Ted Strickland announced Boyce's appointment as Ohio State Treasurer, to replace Richard Cordray, who left office in November 2008 to become Ohio Attorney General.<ref name="Blade">{{cite news|last=Provance|first=Jim|date=December 23, 2008|title=University of Toledo graduate selected as Ohio treasurer|page=1|publisher=Toledo Blade|url=http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081223/NEWS24/812230261&Show=0|access-date=December 23, 2008}}</ref><ref name="AP" /> On January 8, 2009, Boyce was sworn into office, becoming the first African-American Democrat to hold a statewide, non-judicial office in Ohio.<ref name="Dispatch"/><ref name="AP" /> In July 2009, the Dayton Daily News reported that Boyce’s office spent $32,469 on promotional items bearing his name. Boyce said such outreach materials were commonly used by statewide offices and that his office’s total was about 30% less than his predecessor’s.<ref name="Self-promotion">{{cite news|last=Bischoff|first=Laura|title=Critics: Ohio Treasurer shouldn't be spending on self-promotion|url=http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/politics/critics-ohio-treasurer-shouldnt-be-spending-on-self-promotion-161898.html?showComments=true|access-date=June 6, 2010|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|date=June 13, 2009}}</ref> During the 2010 campaign, Boyce’s Republican opponent, state Rep. Josh Mandel, criticized the spending as inappropriate in light of the state’s budget constraints.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bischoff |first=Laura A. |title=Integrity at issue in state race |url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/integrity-issue-state-race/SnGRy6a9Jd5nZwmuR56EZL/ |work=Dayton Daily News |date=July 20, 2010 |access-date=August 20, 2025}}</ref> Contemporary coverage also noted that other statewide offices purchased similar materials or defended them as informational in nature.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bischoff |first=Laura A. |title=Tax dollars pay for politicians' swag |url=https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/state--regional/tax-dollars-pay-for-politicians-swag/RskVQ8z6JGLWMBX8wYfuxM/ |work=Springfield News-Sun |date=August 1, 2009 |access-date=August 20, 2025}}</ref>
In July 2009, Boyce’s office awarded a $160,000-per-year contract to KeyBank to process approximately 485,000 state checks per month, replacing a system that had been handled in-house for about a century.<ref name="SNS2009">{{cite news |last=Bischoff |first=Laura A. |title=Key Bank contract with Ohio Treasurer Kevin Boyce raises concerns |url=https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/state--regional/key-bank-contract-with-ohio-treasurer-kevin-boyce-raises-concerns/3nPdi8Ftp5l7N6hdsLSg9K/ |work=Springfield News-Sun |date=July 29, 2009 |access-date=August 20, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Blade2009">{{cite news |title=KeyBank wins state job, hosts big fund-raiser |url=https://www.toledoblade.com/State/2009/07/29/KeyBank-wins-state-job-hosts-big-fund-raiser.html |work=The Blade |date=July 29, 2009 |access-date=August 20, 2025}}</ref> The Treasurer’s office projected about $83,000 in annual savings and said the contract was competitively bid, with bids due July 15 and KeyBank selected on July 20.<ref name="SNS2009" /> Questions reported at the time focused on the timing and appearance of the arrangement, as a $500-per-person fundraiser in Cleveland hosted by KeyBank lobbyists for Boyce occurred one week after the contract was awarded; the office stated that political contributions did not influence the procurement.<ref name="SNS2009" /><ref name="Blade2009" />
===State Treasurer=== Boyce ran for the Treasurer's position for the first time during the 2010 midterm elections against Republican challenger Josh Mandel, but lost the election with 40.2% of the vote.<ref name="Lost">{{cite news|last=Scott|first=Michael|title=Republican challenger Josh Mandel crushes incumbent Kevin Boyce in Ohio treasurer's race|url=http://www.cleveland.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/11/ohio_treasurer_incumbent_boyce.html|access-date=November 4, 2010|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|date=November 3, 2010}}</ref>
After losing re-election in 2010, Boyce recommended his top aide, Amer Ahmad, to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for Comptroller of Chicago, even though Boyce had received federal subpoenas asking about Ahmad's involvement in contracts given to a Boston bank.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Chicago Tribune |first=John |last=Byrne |title=Mayor says he wouldn't have hired Ahmad if he knew of probe : Emanuel blames Ohio officials for lack of information |date=August 27, 2013 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-rahm-emanuel-comptroller-indicted-0828-20130828,0,563144.story }}</ref> Ahmad was indicted in August 2013, charged with eight counts of bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy for his actions as Ohio deputy treasurer under Boyce.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Crain's Chicago Business |title=Emanuel's ex-Comptroller Amer Ahmad indicted in Ohio |date=August 15, 2013 |url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130815/BLOGS02/130819859/emanuels-ex-comptroller-amer-ahmad-indicted-in-ohio}}</ref> Ahmad is a fugitive from justice in Pakistan. He was sentenced to 15 years in US prison, but is unlikely to be extradited.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Columbus Dispatch |date=December 2, 2014|title=Former state official Ahmad, now in Pakistan, faces 15 years in prison here|first=Kathy Lynn|last=Gray|access-date=March 3, 2015|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/01/former-state-official-sentenced-in-absentia.html}}</ref>
The National Council of Negro Women presented Boyce its Community Service Plaque in May 2004. He was honored by the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and Leadership At Its Best LLC as an outstanding role model for young men in November 2004.<ref name="Council" />
===Ohio House of Representatives=== When W. Carlton Weddington was indicted in a bribery scandal in early 2012, he resigned his seat, forcing House Democrats to appoint his successor. It was soon after announced that Boyce would be the appointee, chosen over a number of applicants. Boyce was sworn into office on May 6, 2012. In 2012, Boyce won his first full term in the House with 85.84% of the vote over Republican Seth Golding.
In 2014, Boyce won a second term with 81% of the vote, and was elected soon after to serve as Minority Whip as well. He was also the only Democrat to hold a Chairmanship in the 131st Ohio General Assembly, as the Chair of the Committee on Community and Family Advancement's Subcommittee on Minority Affairs.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/03/01/income-shift.html |title=Debate over Ohio's shift from income tax to sales tax continues |work=Columbus Dispatch |date=March 1, 2015 |access-date=March 2, 2015 }}</ref>
====Committee assignments==== *Committee on Community & Family Advancement **Subcommittee on Minority Affairs (Chair) *Committee on Finance & Appropriations *Committee on Rules & Reference{{clear}}
===Franklin County Board of Commissioners=== In the March 15, 2016 Democratic primary election, Boyce defeated incumbent Paula Brooks in her bid for re-election to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, receiving 58% of the vote to Brooks' 42%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2016/primary-election/franklin-county-officeholders.html|title=Sheriff Zach Scott among Democrats swept from Franklin County offices|author=Rick Rouan|date=March 16, 2016|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=March 17, 2016}}</ref> In an unusual move, the Franklin County Democratic Party endorsed Boyce rather than the incumbent Brooks, in part as a consequence of Brooks' support for county sheriff Zach Scott in his failed effort to oppose Andy Ginther, who received the party's endorsement for mayor of Columbus in the preceding general election. Scott was also defeated in the March 2016 primary election in his effort to continue as county sheriff.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/03/17/democratic-party-rulers-had-their-way.html|title=Democratic Party hierarchy flexes its muscle in Franklin County primary|author=Rick Rouan|date=March 17, 2016|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=March 17, 2016}}</ref> Boyce then defeated his Republican opponent Terry Boyd in the November, 2016 general election.
On November 3, 2020, Boyce defeated his Republican challenger Andrew Littler to earn a 2nd term on the Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners. In the 2024 general election, Boyce ran unopposed for this 3rd term as a commissioner and was reelected.
==Electoral history== {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- ! colspan=12 | Election results |- !Year !Office !Election !Votes for Boyce !% !Opponent !Party !Votes !% |- |2001 |rowspan=2|Columbus City Council |General |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |44,898 {{small|(3rd)*}} |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |20.90% | | | | |- |2005 |General |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |63,467 {{small|(2nd)*}} |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |23.43% | | | | |-|- |2010 |Ohio State Treasurer |General |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |1,471,727 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |40.21% |{{Party shading/Republican}} |Josh Mandel |{{Party shading/Republican}} |Republican |{{Party shading/Republican}} |2,008,892 |{{Party shading/Republican}} |54.89% |-|- |2012 |rowspan=2|Ohio House of Representatives |General |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |40,005 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |85.84% |{{Party shading/Republican}} |Seth Golding |{{Party shading/Republican}} |Republican |{{Party shading/Republican}} |6,599 |{{Party shading/Republican}} |14.16% |- |2014 |General |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |18,317 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |81.66% |{{Party shading/Republican}} |Seth Golding |{{Party shading/Republican}} |Republican |{{Party shading/Republican}} |4,115 |{{Party shading/Republican}} |18.34% |- | rowspan="2" |2016 | rowspan="4" |Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners |Primary |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |71,225 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |57.84% |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Paula Brooks |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |51,913 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |42.16% |- |General |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |313,583 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |58.69% |{{Party shading/Republican}} |Terry Boyd |{{Party shading/Republican}} |Republican |{{Party shading/Republican}} |220,754 |{{Party shading/Republican}} |41.31% |- |2020 |General |{{Party shading/Democratic}}|392,675 |{{Party shading/Democratic}}|64.78% |{{Party shading/Republican}}|Andrew Littler |{{Party shading/Republican}}|Republican |{{Party shading/Republican}}|213,516 |{{Party shading/Republican}}|35.22% |- |2024 |General |{{Party shading/Democratic}}|390,898 |{{Party shading/Democratic}}|100% | | | | |} {{small|''* Top three are elected to Columbus City Council''}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.kevinboyce.com/ Kevin Boyce for Ohio] * [http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20020914151931/http://www.kwfdn.org/ KnowledgeWorks Foundation]
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Richard Cordray}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Ohio State Treasurer|years=2010}} {{s-aft|after=Connie Pillich}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Richard Cordray}} {{s-ttl|title=Treasurer of Ohio|years=2009–2011}} {{s-aft|after=Josh Mandel}} {{s-end}}
{{OhioTreasurers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyce, Kevin}} Category:1971 births Category:African-American state legislators in Ohio Category:Central Michigan University alumni Category:Columbus City Council members Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Ohio General Assembly Category:State treasurers of Ohio Category:University of Toledo alumni Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century African-American politicians