Municipal elections in St. Louis, Missouri (2017)
2018 →
← 2016
|
| 2017 St. Louis elections |
|---|
 |
| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: January 6, 2017 |
| Primary election: March 7, 2017 General election: April 4, 2017 Special election: July 11, 2017 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor, Comptroller, City Council, St. Louis Community College |
| Total seats up: 20 |
| Election type: Partisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2017 |
The city of St. Louis, Missouri, held a general election for mayor, comptroller, board of aldermen, and St. Louis Community College districts on April 4, 2017. Fourteen of the 29 seats on the board of aldermen were up for general election. Additionally, the Ward 16 seat held by Donna Baringer (D) was up for special election in April, following her election to the state house of representatives in 2016. A special election for a sixteenth alderman seat was held July 11, 2017, and was won by Heather Navarro (D), filling the vacancy created by former Ward 28 Alderwoman Lyda Krewson's (D) election to mayor in April.
Despite initially stating he would run for re-election, Mayor Francis Slay ultimately did not seek another term. Thirteen candidates successfully filed for the open seat—seven Democrats, three Republicans, one Libertarian, one Green, and two independents.[1][2]
Incumbents filed for new terms in all of the comptroller and other board of alderman seats, except for Wards 3, 21, and 27. Ward 11 Alderman Thomas Villa (D) filed for re-election, but he withdrew in time to not appear on the primary ballot. Ward 9 Alderman Kenneth Ortmann (D) was the only incumbent defeated in the primary. The open races, the special election for Ward 16, and Ortmann's defeat guaranteed at least six new faces would join the board of alderman.
Elections
Regular election cycle
A partisan primary election was completed on March 7, 2017, to determine the party-affiliated candidates who would appear in the general election on April 4, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in the partisan primary election was January 6, 2017. The deadline to withdraw from the primary election was January 26, 2017. Nonpartisan candidates had to file at least 487 signatures by February 13, 2017, to appear on the general election ballot. Those candidates did not appear on the primary ballot.[3][4][5][6]
Special election
No primary was held for the Ward 28 special election in July. Instead, each party had to nominate candidates of their choosing for the race. Independent candidates could also qualify for the race by filing signatures totaling 10 percent of the registered voters of Ward 28 as of the April general election. Heather Navarro (D) defeated three candidates to win this election. Information about this race can be found under the "Board of Alderman" tab.[7]
Mayor
General election
Tyrone Austin
Robb Cunningham
Andrew Jones Jr.
Lyda Krewson 
Johnathan McFarland
Larry Rice
Two weeks after stating he would seek re-election, Mayor Francis Slay (D) reversed course and announced in April 2016 he would not run for another term. He did not explain his change of heart, and spokeswoman Maggie Crane said "[h]e changed his mind," in an email. Slay did say that his health was fine and that he would not leave office before his term was over. More than a dozen candidates filed for the race to replace him.[8][9][10][11][12]
Democratic primary
|
Republican primary
|
Green primary
|
Campaign finance
Comptroller
General election
Darlene Green (i)
Jerome Bauer
Democratic primary
|
Green primary
|
Board of Alderman
Special election: Ward 28
- Held July 11, 2017
Heather Navarro
Jerome Bauer
Steve Roberts
Celeste Vossmeyer
General election
Ward 1
Ward 3Ward 5
Ward 7Ward 9 |
Ward 11
Ward 13
Ward 15Ward 16 (unexpired term)
Ward 17
|
Ward 19
Ward 21
Ward 23Ward 25
Ward 27 |
|
Ward 1
Ward 3Ward 5
Ward 7
Ward 9
Ward 11
Ward 13
|
Ward 15Ward 16 (unexpired term)Ward 17
Ward 19
Ward 21
Ward 23Ward 25
Ward 27
|
Republican primary
Ward 16 (unexpired term)
Green primary
Ward 7
Ward 9
Ward 11
Ward 13
Ballot measures
City ballot measures
April
• Proposition A: St. Louis, Missouri 
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of amending the city charter to abolish the recorder of deeds' office and incorporating its functions into the assessor's office. |
| A no vote was a vote against amending the city charter to abolish the recorder of deeds' office and incorporating its functions into the assessor's office. |
• Proposition B: St. Louis, Missouri
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of amending the city charter to move the city's primary elections from March to August and its general elections from April to November and to have them take place in even-numbered years, starting in 2020 |
| A no vote was a vote against amending the city charter to move the city's primary elections from March to August and its general elections from April to November and to have them take place in even-numbered years, starting in 2020 |
• Proposition C: St. Louis, Missouri 
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of amending the city charter to give preference to city residents who successfully pass examination for a civil service position. |
| A no vote was a vote against amending the city charter to give preference to city residents who successfully pass examination for a civil service position. |
• Proposition 1: St. Louis, Missouri
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of implementing a 0.5 percent sales tax for economic development projects |
| A no vote was a vote against implementing a 0.5 percent sales tax for economic development projects |
• Proposition 2: St. Louis, Missouri
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of allocating the use taxes paid by businesses on out-of-state purchases (created by Proposition 1) for a portion of a multipurpose stadium construction and minority job training and business development programs |
| A no vote was a vote against allocating the use taxes paid by businesses on out-of-state purchases (created by Proposition 1) for a portion of a multipurpose stadium construction and minority job training and business development programs |
• Proposition NS: St. Louis, Missouri
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of issuing up to $40 million in bonds to stabilize abandoned residential properties owned by the city |
| A no vote was a vote against issuing up to $40 million in bonds to stabilize abandoned residential properties owned by the city |
March
• Proposition S: St. Louis Short-Term Loan Establishment Permit Fees
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of authorizing the imposition of an annual fee of $5,000 for each permit, including permit renewals, for short-term loan establishment and a fee of $2,500 for a permit issued with less than six months remaining in the calendar year. |
| A no vote was a vote against authorizing the imposition of an annual fee of $5,000 for each permit, including permit renewals, for short-term loan establishment and a fee of $2,500 for a permit issued with less than six months remaining in the calendar year. |
Community college
Ballotpedia covers elections in the city of St. Louis in Missouri as one of America's largest cities. The city is an independent municipality, though it was once a part of the surrounding St. Louis County. While the city elects its own government separate from the county, there is an area of overlap—the St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees. Two seats on the board, Subdistricts 1 and 2, were up for nonpartisan general election on April 4, 2017.[13]
The St. Louis Community College district serves both St. Louis city and county, as well as portions of Franklin and Jefferson counties. The board has four subdistricts and six elected members. A seventh member is appointed by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education. Subdistricts 1 and 4 have two seats each. Subdistricts 2 and 3, which cover the city of St. Louis, have one seat each. The board is elected by nonpartisan general elections.[14][15]
Filing for these elections ran from December 13, 2016, to January 17, 2017. The winner of the Subdistrict 1 race assumed a special three-year term, while the Subdistrict 2 winner assumed a full six-year term. Candidates had to be at least 21 years old and resident voters in the subdistrict for which they filed.[16]
Subdistrict 1
- Marcus Adams
- Miranda Avant-Elliott
- Veronica Avery-Moody
- Marsha Bonds
- Theodis Brown
- Candace Gardner (former officeholder)
- O. Daniel Gray
- Kevin Martin
- Derek Novel (i)
Subdistrict 2
Incumbent Hattie R. Jackson did not file to seek re-election.
Additional elections
Elections for the St. Louis Public Schools Elected Board of Education were also on the general election ballot in April.
Issues
Mayoral candidates on crime
How to address St. Louis' higher than average crime rate was a topic of discussion among mayoral candidates in the primaries. Ward 28 Alderwoman and Democratic primary winner Lyda Krewson's plan to address the city's crime rate proposed hiring 200 additional police officers. She also called for a pay raise for law enforcement as well as more training, technology, and equipment for the force. Krewson also stated she would establish a working group composed of "police, prosecutors, judges, victim advocates, the personnel department, and others, who will implement the following plan and provide insight and advice as we move forward."[17][18] Ward 21 Alderman Antonio French (D) argued in his plan for public safety that Police Chief Sam Dotson should be replaced. He also supported adding more officers to the city's police force, increasing police salaries, instituting after school programs, and implementing targeted policing in areas of the with historically higher crime rates.[19]
President of the Board of Aldermen Lewis Reed (D) also supported increases to the number of police and their pay. He also posited that keeping the same officers serving in the same neighborhoods would improve the relationship between the police and community. He also argued for Chief Dotson's removal.[20]
Ward 22 Alderman Jeffrey L. Boyd (D) also indicated support for increasing the size of the police force. He also stated that recruiting and hiring a more diverse force would improve the situation. Boyd discussed a plan to use city planning to push development into the highest crime neighborhoods.[20]
Former State Representative Tishaura Jones (D) supported increase police pay but not the overall size of the force. She also discussed ways the city could respond to gun violence, beyond advocating for changes to state or national gun laws. Jones' crime plan included a focus on mental health and substance abuse by both training the police force to be better able to respond to those cases and by decriminalizing some drug-related crimes.[21][20]
St. Louis Elected Board of Education Member Bill Haas (D) also supported increasing the police force size and pay. He joined Krewson and French in stating he would be willing to raise taxes to hire more officers. Haas also focused on education and plans to reduce crime in the long term through a focus on education improvements.[20]
Former Alderman Jimmie Matthews (D) critiqued the police force, particularly in his own experience after reporting a vehicle break-in in 2016. Matthews, Krewson, and Jones all called for more police officers to be residents of the city, as well.[20]
Andrew Jones (R) also favored increasing the police force and its pay, as well as more targeted policing of higher crime neighborhoods. James Osher (R), meanwhile, focused on how conflict resolution and after school programs could improve the relationship between the police and the community.[20]
According to city data, homicide rates in St. Louis have been consistently higher than the national average since at least the 1970s. The crime rate per 1,000 population peaked in 1993, at 173. By 2016, it had decreased to 79.[22] [23]
In 2016, police reported a 4.1 percent decrease in the total number of crimes compared to 2015, from 26,013 to 24,941. This is a 49.9 percent decrease since 2006, when 49,743 total crimes were reported.[24] Violent crimes, such as murder and rape, increased 4.4 percent between 2015 and 2016, from 5,763 to 6,018. This is a 30.1 percent decrease since 2006, when 8,605 violent crimes were reported.[23]
Lawsuit over independent candidate filing
With the primaries over and the deadline for nonpartisan candidates to file for the general election past, the ballot line up for the general election should have been all wrapped up. One nonpartisan hopeful, however, hoped to prevent the city from printing ballots until her name was added to that list. Kacey Cordes filed paperwork with the board of election commissioners office on February 13, 2017, and paid the filing fee, but she did not turn in petition signatures. The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners rejected Cordes declaration of candidacy. Cordes sued the city over the interpretation of its election law in hopes of still appearing on the April ballot. On March 13, 2017, Missouri 22nd Judicial Circuit Court Judge Joan L. Moriarty ruled against Cordes, allowing the city to print its general election ballots. Cordes stated at the time that she would appeal the ruling.[25][26]
Cordes planned to run without party affiliation in the mayoral race to avoid the large field of Democratic candidates. The Riverfront Times described Cordes' strategy, saying, "Cordes could conceivably consolidate the progressive votes now split among a quartet of candidates to mount a real challenge," referring to challenging primary front runner and ultimate primary winner Ward 28 Alderwoman Lyda Krewson.[25][27]
According to the election commissioners, independent and nonpartisan candidates for the mayoral race were required to file signatures totaling at least 2 percent of the votes cast in the last mayoral election. In 2017, that amounted to 487 signatures. Two other nonpartisan candidates, Tyrone Austin and Larry Rice, successfully filed sufficient signatures by the deadline. Cordes argued in a letter to the election commissioners that the city had been misinterpreting its own laws. The city's statue related to signature gathering, Chapter 2 Section 8.330, only refers to nonpartisan candidates. State law, however, defines nonpartisan and independent candidates as separate candidate types. Cordes asserted that she was filing as an independent candidate and, therefore, was not subject to the requirements for nonpartisan candidates. She filed for the race using a form called the "Declaration of Non-Partisan Candidate."[25][28][25][29]
On March 6, 2017, Cordes filed a lawsuit against the commission, maintaining her argument about the city's failure to distinguish between nonpartisan and independent candidates. The lawsuit also seeks to prevent the commission from printing ballots for the general election until her complaint is heard in court and judge determines her eligibility as a candidate. In a phone call with Ballotpedia on March 9, 2017, the election commissioners' Democratic Director Mary Wheeler Jones stated that she could not comment upon the ongoing legal dispute.[30]
In her ruling, Judge Moriarty dismissed Cordes' argument, saying that if it were accepted, "the need for a primary election would be diminished, as candidates would be incentivized to simply declare as an 'independent' candidate, pay the fee ... and have their name placed on the ballot."[26]
About the city
- See also: St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city located in Missouri. It was at one time the county seat of St. Louis County, but voters chose to separate from the county and form an independent city in 1876.[31] As of 2010, its population was 319,294.
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
The city of St. Louis uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
.placeholder {}
.census-table-container {
width: 100%;
max-width: 500px;
overflow-x: auto;
}
.census-table-widget {
text-align: center;
border: 1px solid black !important;
}
.census-table-header {
background-color: #334aab;
color: white;
padding: 0.5em 1em;
}
.census-table-census-item-header {
text-align: left !important;
font-weight: normal !important;
background-color: #D9D9D9;
padding-left: 0.25em;
padding-right: 0.25em;
}
.census-table-census-item {
text-align: center !important;
font-weight: normal !important;
}
.census-table-section-header {
background-color: #f0a236;
font-style: italic;
}
.census-table-source {
font-size: 80%;
}
.census-table-race-disclaimer {
font-size: 70%;
border-top: 1px solid #ccc;
}
| Demographic Data for St. Louis, Missouri | ||
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | Missouri | |
| Population | 319,294 | 5,988,927 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 61 | 68,746 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 46.5% | 82.2% |
| Black/African American | 46.4% | 11.5% |
| Asian | 3.4% | 2% |
| Native American | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Two or more | 2.4% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 4% | 4.2% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 87.8% | 89.9% |
| College graduation rate | 36.3% | 29.2% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $43,896 | $55,461 |
| Persons below poverty level | 21.8% | 13.7% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms St. Louis Missouri election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| St. Louis, Missouri | Missouri | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Margaret Koenig, Phone conversation with Mary Wheeler Jones, Democratic Director of the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners," March 9, 2017
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Rev. Larry Rice turns in signatures to run for mayor, will appear on April ballot," February 16, 2017
- ↑ City of St. Louis, "Primary Municipal Election," accessed November 16, 2016
- ↑ City of St. Louis, "Final Unofficial List of Candidates as of 5:00 PM 1-6-2017," January 6, 2017
- ↑ City of St. Louis, "Official Ballot Primary Municipal Election City of St. Louis, Missouri, March 7, 2017, All Races," accessed February 24, 2017
- ↑ City of St. Louis, "Primary Municipal Election," accessed November 16, 2016
- ↑ St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners, "City Election Board Sets Date for Special Election to Fill 28th Ward Vacancy," April 20, 2017
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay announces he will not run again next year," April 8, 2016
- ↑ KSDK, "Antonio French enters race for mayor," October 7, 2016
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Alderman Lyda Krewson officially joins the race to be St. Louis mayor," June 14, 2016
- ↑ CBS St. Louis, "Tishaura Jones: I’m Running for Mayor, Dotson Should Resign," October 5, 2016
- ↑ FOX 2 Now, "7 people officially declared for St. Louis mayor," November 15, 2016
- ↑ St. Louis Community College, "Twelve Candidates Seek Seats on the STLCC Board of Trustees," February 2, 2017
- ↑ St. Louis Community College, "Board of Trustees," accessed March 10, 2017
- ↑ Missouri Department of Higher Education, "Attachment A," September 20, 2011
- ↑ St. Louis Community College, "Filing Opens Dec. 13 for STLCC Board of Trustees Seats," December 16, 2016
- ↑ Lyda Krewson for Mayor, "My Commitment to Safe Neighborhoods," accessed January 20, 2017
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "What to do about crime? St. Louis mayoral candidates weigh in," January 29, 2017
- ↑ Comprehensive Plan to Reduce Violent Crime, "Homepage," accessed March 13, 2017
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "What to do about crime? St. Louis mayoral candidates weigh in," January 29, 2017
- ↑ Tishaura O. Jones for Mayor, "Criminal Justice Reform and Public Safety," accessed March 13, 2017
- ↑ StLouis-Mo.gov, "City of St. Louis P.I.E.R. Plan," December 2015
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Metropolitan Police Department, "2016 Crime Coded through December," accessed February 3, 2017
- ↑ Metropolitan Police Department, "Metropolitan Police Department Releases 2016 Crime Statistics," January 10, 2017
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 Riverfront Times, "An Election Law Battle Is Brewing Around Kacey Cordes' Mayoral Campaign," February 14, 2017
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Riverfront Times, "Kacey Cordes Loses Election Suit in Circuit Court; Vows to Appeal," March 14, 2017
- ↑ Riverfront Times, "Kacey Cordes' Mayoral Bid Seeks to Upend St. Louis Politics as Usual," February 3, 2017
- ↑ St. Louis, Missouri, Code of Ordinances, "2.08.330 - Provisions for nomination—Nonpartisan candidate," accessed March 9, 2017
- ↑ 7th Ward St. Louis-Home of the Liberals, "CORRECTED – Independent Candidate Petitioners May Not Vote In March Party Primary," January 16, 2017
- ↑ Riverfront Times, "Kacey Cordes Sues St. Louis Election Board to Enter Mayoral Race," March 7, 2017
- ↑ St. Louis County Library, "The 1876 St. Louis City / County split and its effect on research," accessed December 18, 2014
 |
State of Missouri Jefferson City (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
