Smitherman (born July 16, 1967) is an American politician and businessman who previously served as the Vice Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio.

[1] From 2013 until January 2022 – when Smitherman was term limited and a newly elected council was sworn in – Smitherman chaired the Law and Public Safety Committee, giving him authority to oversee all legislative issues related to Police, Fire, Safety Policies, Citizen Complaint Authority, Liquor Licenses, and Public Services.

After graduating, Smitherman attended Ohio State University (OSU) where he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.

[6] As a financial planner, Smitherman focuses on helping his clients gain wealth through systematic savings, life insurance, and estate planning.

[11] During his term, Smitherman focused on neighborhood improvements including authoring a motion to allow part of drug-related dollars seized by police to be returned to the affected community.

[14] Smitherman ran as an Independent politician whose platform was a balanced budget, proper funding for police and fire, and fixing the city's pension.

He ran on a platform of balancing the budget, delivering basic services, and solving the Cincinnati Pension crisis.

[17] Cranley appointed Smitherman as the Chair of the Law and Public Safety Committee, giving him jurisdiction to oversee all city issues related to Police; Fire; Safety Policies; Citizen Complaint Authority; Liquor Licenses; and Public Services.

In early 2019, Smitherman submitted his resignation from the Budget and Finance Committee – citing time constraints.

Sittenfeld, Chris Seelbach, Wendell Young, Tamaya Dennard, and Greg Landsman, being caught in an open meeting law(s) violation(s) scandal, Smitherman announced in May 2018, that he was launching a ballot initiative to place a charter amendment on the November Ballot to revert Cincinnati City Council terms to 2 years.

In May 2019, Christopher Smitherman and Councilman Jeff Pastor sponsored an ordinance that would decriminalize the possession of marijuana under 100 grams in the City of Cincinnati.

[24] In June 2013, Smitherman temporarily stepped down as president during his reelection campaign for Cincinnati City Council.

[25] Smitherman won reelection to council in November 2013 and tendered his resignation as president of the Cincinnati NAACP effective January 1, 2014.

Those initiatives that passed included defeating a county jail tax, stopping red-light cameras, and allowing voters to ratify the sale of Greater Cincinnati Water Works.

Smitherman fell short in his attempt to institute proportional representation on city council and to pass Issue 9, the anti-street car rail initiative.

[30] In 2008, the Cincinnati NAACP, along with other activist groups, collected over 10,000 signatures to put the use of red light cameras to the voters.

[32] In November 2008, a majority of Cincinnati voters approved the amendment to the city charter prohibiting the use of red light cameras.