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Marion Competing in Strongest Town Competition

By Wendy Weichenthal on March 12, 2025

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The Marion Community is going head-to-head with 15 other North American cities in the 10th Annual Strongest Town Contest.

Marion has advanced to the Sweet-Sixteen this week and needs everyone in Marion, in Ohio, and around the country to cast their vote for us! In this bracket-style voting tournament, Marion will compete for the “Strongest Town” title by shining a national spotlight on the work it’s doing to become a stronger, more resilient city.

Cast your vote for Marion this week and every week at strongesttown.com.

Voting is open Monday through Thursday at 1 p.m. EST

Progress, Not Perfection

The Strongest Town Contest celebrates progress, not perfection. A “strong town” is any town, big or small, that is taking tangible steps to overcome its transportation, housing, or financial challenges. Strong Towns refers to this methodology as the “Strong Towns Approach,” and this contest spotlights the work of city residents and leaders who are using this approach to become more resilient over time.

Strongest Town Voting

Here’s how voting works. Competitors advance over five, weekly rounds. Anyone can vote once per week, and votes are tallied Monday through Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Winners are notified each Friday.

In the first, risk-free round, Marion competed with three other cities for an honorary title to recognize its efforts toward “Rightsizing Parking Policy.”

All cities advanced to Round 2, when bracket-style eliminations will begin and winners will advance based on the number of votes collected that week. 

Brackets

* Round 1: Meet Your Contestants (March 3-6).
* Round 2: Sweet Sixteen (March 10-13)
* Round 3: Elite Eight (March 17-20).
* Round 4: Final Four (March 24-27).
* Round 5: Championship (March 31-April 3).

Show the world how strong we are.

We Are Strong. We Are MarionMade! #MarionStrong #StrongestTown #OhioVersusTheWorld

How did Marion get nominated?

James Walker from the Marion County Regional Planning Commission nominated Marion. Read more here: Strongest Town Contest

What is Strong Towns?

Strong Towns is a 501c(3) non-profit and media advocacy organization that shifts conversations around the North American development pattern. Through reports, articles, podcasts, videos, live events and professional coaching, it provides knowledge and tools to help cities transform their communities. Learn more at strongesttown.com.

MarionMade! is a program of Marion Technical College. 

 

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