St. Louis’ 2011 municipal election season starts in less than a year
Every two years brings municipal elections in the City of St. Louis. In 2011 we will elect half the Board of Aldermen (14 even numbered wards) as well as the President of the Board of Aldermen. Four members of the St. Louis School Board are also elected at the general election. For more detail see the St. Louis Board of Elections page on How to Declare Your Candidacy for Any Federal, State, or City Office.
I ran for alderman in the 25th ward in 2005 and lost to the then incumbent, Dorothy Kirner. Participating in our electoral process as a candidate was a tremendous experience. In 2007 I moved downtown. My loft is located in the 6th ward represented by Kacie Starr Triplett. I will not be running in 2011 as I am generally pleased with Ald. Triplett’s performance so far. Her communications with constituents is among the best. Also, as long as many in St. Louis call their alderman about fixing potholes, requesting stop signs and other such non-legislative tasks I don’t want the job anyway. My hope is we can begin to get away from pothole politics so our elected reps can set policy, leaving potholes to the bureaucrats.
I would like to see a number of the other 14 aldermen from odd numbered wards replaced with new blood. A year from now we need at least 15 people having filed to seek office. Since we go through the trouble and additional expense of having a partisan primary and a general election it would be nice to see contested offices in the primary and general election. If all the candidates are Democrats it will prove my point that we don’t need to waste money pretending we have multiple parties in our municipal elections.
Important dates:
- Filing opens at 8am on Monday November 28, 2010 (“Filing for municipal offices opens at 8:00 A.M. on the date that is 100 days prior to the date of the applicable Primary Municipal Election.”)
- Filing closes at 5pm on Friday January 7, 2011 (“Filing for municipal offices closes at 5:00 P.M. on the date that is 60 days prior to the date of the applicable Primary Municipal Election.”}
- The partisan primary will be Tuesday March 8, 2011.
- The general election will be Tuesday April 6, 2011.
Resources:
With filing less than a year away, if you are thinking of running for office in the City of St. Louis, you’d better start firming up those plans now.
– Steve Patterson
I wouldn't have to call the aldermen if the bureaucrats did their jobs.
I get good responses. I email the bureaucrat and copy the alderman.
Maybe “the bureaucrats would do their jobs” (better?) IF a) residents actually did call them first, and b) the aldermen expected city workers to be responsive to reasonable citizen requests.
Bigger picture, Steve, I find it interesting that “I will not be running in 2011 as I am generally pleased with Ald. Triplett’s performance so far.” Hopefully you'll reconsider if no one else decides to challenge her – as much as you rail about the lack of choice in local elections, this presents an interesting conundrum.
I believe in challenged elections but I also believe in running when you think you are the best person for the job.
Incumbents when almost all the time.
2nd Ward – Dionne Flowers – incumbent – will win
4th Ward – Same Moore – incumbent – will win
6th Ward – Kacie Starr Triplett – incumbent – will win
8th Ward – Steve Conway – incumbent – will win
10th Ward – Vollmer – incument – will win
12th Ward – Heitert – incumbent – will win
14th Ward – Gregali – incumbent – will win
16th Ward – Barringer – incumbent – will win
18th Ward – Kennedy – incumbent – will win
20th Ward – Schmid – incumbent – will win
22nd Ward – Boyd – incumbent – will win
24th Ward – Waterhouse – incumbent – will win
26th Ward – Williamson – incumbent – will win
28th Ward – Krewson – incumbent – will win
Alderman is a job for life. The only way people leave office is:
1) redistricted and forced out (Tyus, Kinnealy)
2) choose not to run again (Clark, Kirner)
3) seek higher office (Slay)
Someone please name the last sitting alderman to be defeated in a re-election attempt? It might be when Dan Gruen lost to Matt Villa in the 11th Ward. When Matt Villa ran for alderman in the 11th ward, with his Carondelet pedigree, some might say Matt Villa was the first incumbent ever re-elected without having first held public office.
Antonio French defeated incumbent Bennice Jones-King in March 2009.
Sort of like Villa beating Gruen.
Does Tom Bauer count?
Bauer was recalled so that is different.
Yes, but his downfall shows that aldermen aren't always kings.
Very true. They are kings only if we allow them to be.
Which alderman is most vulnerable?
Heitert, the lone Republican, has held his seat for 30 years now. At some point he will not run again. I don't know that I would call any of then vulnerable.
Sam Moore was impressive during the smoking ban battle, as was Gregali. The others, less so.
Wait I dont get it.
April 2011 will be for the Even or Odd numbered districts?
Is there an election this coming April 2010? If so, which one?
April 2010 is a vote in St. Louis County. City municipal elections are in odd years: 2009, 2011, 2013, etc…
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