YOUNGSTOWN — Councilwoman Samantha Turner, D-3rd Ward, will challenge Mayor Jamael Tito Brown in the May Democratic primary.

In her Tuesday announcement for mayor, Turner said, “Over the next several months, I will share with you a plan to turn challenges into opportunities, for growth in our business district, change in our neighborhoods and sustainability throughout our whole city government.”

Turner was first elected to represent the 3rd Ward, which includes most of the city’s North Side, in 2019 and was reelected in 2023 after running unopposed.

Turner said her campaign will “focus on areas of economic development, crime reduction, neighborhood improvement and relationship building.”

Asked for a comment, Brown said Tuesday: “I look forward to serving as mayor of Youngstown and focusing on the continued development and growth of our city.”

Brown is seeking his third four-year term this year.

Turner has been mentioned as a possible mayoral candidate for several months.

When asked about her candidacy on Nov. 6, Turner said, “I haven’t truly given it a decision. I’m not really at that stage yet.”

Turner has clashed with her fellow council members at times during her five years as a legislator. She was a vocal critic of how her colleagues used the $2 million in American Rescue Plan funding per ward that city council approved for its members in April 2022. She was the lone no vote on the legislation to give the $2 million to each member and voted against some of the ward allocations.

Turner is chairwoman of council’s public health, zoning, and infrastructure and general improvements committees.

As zoning chairwoman, she led committee meetings that resulted in moratoriums until May 1, 2026, on recreational marijuana businesses, dollar stores, car lots and auto repair shops in the city.

Feb. 5 is the filing deadline for the May 7 partisan primary. Independent candidates would have to file by May 6 for the Nov. 3 general election.

Derrick McDowell, founder of the Youngstown Flea, and John White, who sought to run for mayor in 2021 and was ruled ineligible, have said they are going to run as independent candidates. White is the husband of Councilwoman Amber White, I-7th Ward, who has been a Turner ally and posted Turner’s mayoral announcement on her Facebook page.

Mahoning County Democratic Chairman Chris Anderson said: “Brown has an established history working with city council and has partnerships at all levels of government that have proven beneficial to the city. In addition, he has a track record of commitment to development and public safety that are unmatched and we look forward to helping him win not only his primary, but his general election.”

Anderson said the party has “clearly established and agreed to party unity provisions that have been in our bylaws for quite some time that all central and executive committee members take oaths to abide by. (The party), as in all situations unless compelled not to, will support its elected incumbents.”