An Early Look At Our Spring 2013 Election
With the 2012 presidential election barely behind us, St. Louis’ spring 2013 election season has started. Candidates began filing on November 26th, the first was Francis Slay filing for an unprecedented fourth term for mayor.
The list of candidates posted on the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners website includes filings only from the first two days, November 26-27. Republican Director Gary Stoff confirmed yesterday morning their list of candidates is current, no additional candidates have filed. See the list online or archived.
Here’s the offices and my early take:
MAYOR
As mentioned above, Francis Slay filed to run for a fourth four-year term as mayor. Raymond Tucker is our only mayor to seek a 4th tern, he lost to Alfonso J. Cervantes in 1965. Cervantes was a former President of the Board Aldermen, though not at the time he ran against Tucker.
Current President of the Board of Aldermen, Lewis Reed, also filed to run for mayor. Will Reed be able to keep Slay from a fourth term? A 3rd candidate also filed to run for mayor in the democratic primary: Jimmie Matthews.
COMPTROLLER
Darlene Green was unchallenged in early filing for another term as Comptroller, a position she’s held for four terms.
1ST WARD
Incumbent Charles Quincy Troupe was first elected in 2005, he’s seeking a third term.
3RD WARD
Notably absent from initial filing is that of incumbent Freeman Bosley Sr. Next spring will mark the end of his 6th term in office so perhaps he’s decided 24 years is enough. A Maxine Johnson is the only candidate filed so far.
5TH WARD
Incumbent Tammika Hubbard easily won a 3-way special election earlier this year after April Ford-Griffin resigned to take a job with the city. But Hubbard hasn’t filed for reelection to a full term. Michelle Hutchings-Medina, however, has filed for the seat.
I’ve met Hutchings-Medina a couple of times in the last year and I’ve been very impressed by her character . I’m not going to make any endorsements until after filing closes in January but as a voter in the 5th ward she has my early support.
6TH WARD (SPECIAL ELECTION)
Kacie Starr Triplett surprised many recently when she resigned her seat to take a private job. The position of alderman is part-time so many have full-time employment. But one must have a job with the flexibility to spend some time in city hall during the week.
So far two candidates have filed for the March 5th Democratic primary; Christine Ingrassia and Damon A. Jones.
7TH WARD
Phyllis Young is finishing up her 7th term as alderman of the 7th ward — that’s 28 years! For many voters she’s been in office their entire lives. Young has filed for an 8th term in office and as you might expect, nobody is challenging her.
9TH WARD
Ken Ortmann was first elected in 1999, presumably to finish the tern of the prior alderman. He was reelected in 2001, 2005, and 2009. To my knowledge, he’s not faced an opponent in the primary or general.
11TH WARD
For the first time in many years voters may not see the name Villa on the ballot. Matt Villa resigned a couple of years ago to focus more attention to the family business, his uncle Tom Villa won the special election to finish the term. Albert “Red” Villa was alderman from 1953-1990.
The only candidate filed so far is Eddie Tucker, owner of Tucker’s Bar and Grill on south Broadway (not to be confused with Tucker’s Place in Soulard).
13TH WARD
Like Phyllis Young, Fred Wessels is finishing his 7th term as alderman in the 13th ward. Also like Young, he’s a very nice person. To his credit, Wessels ran for the citywide office of treasurer earlier this year, coming in a close second in a hotly contested 4-way race. Politicians should not be reelected time and again due to a lack of a challenger. A lack of a challenger is not a victory, it’s a failure of democracy.
15TH WARD
Jennifer Florida has been another of the aldermen to be reelected due to a lack of a challenger but 2013 will be a different. Florida, seeking a fourth term, will face Lisa Miller in the Democratic primary. I recently met Miller and I think she’ll be a strong challenger to Florida. Will it be a 2-way race or will a spoiler file?
17TH WARD
Incumbent Joseph (Joe) Roddy waited until the afternoon of the 2nd day to file. In the spring he’ll have served 25 years in office, third in seniority behind Young & Wessels. Roddy has been challenged before but he’s easily won each time.
19TH WARD
Marlene Davis was elected in 2007 after Michael McMillan was elected license collector, no challenger has come forth.
21ST WARD
Four years ago Antonio D. French did something rarely ever done — he defeated an incumbent. French has ruffled some feathers in the ward and in Room 200, but so far nobody has filed to run against him as he seeks a second term.
23RD WARD
Joseph (Joe) Vaccaro is also seeking a second term. In 2009 he got 48.8% of the vote in a 7-way race for the Democratic nomination. When you finally get an open seat suddenly candidates are everywhere.
25TH WARD
Another candidate facing his first reelection campaign is Shane Cohn. This is the seat I ran for, and lost, in 2005 against incumbent Dorothy Kirner. In 2009 Kirner decided not to run again and Cohn won in a 4-way race.
27TH WARD
In August 2012 Alderman Gregory Carter was killed in a traffic accident, his nephew, then-state Rep Chris Carter, won the special election to finish the term. Carter didn’t file for reelection but a Pamela Boyd has filed for the seat.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
Many dislike how term limits have resulted in quick turnover in state government. Conversely, lack of term limits has limited opportunities for new blood in the Board of Aldermen. We need to keep the state-level limits but increase them from 8 years to 12 or 16. At the local level we need to enact term limits of 12 or 16 years so we can get some fresh faces into office. This is needed because some don’t know when to leave office.
While we’re making changes to our city charter, we should also consider the following:
- Eliminate partisan primary elections since only one elected official isn’t a Democrat; Scott Ogilvie is an independent, not a Republican or Green. Holding a partisan primary every two years so one party can select a nominee, followed by a general election a month later so the Democratic nominee can be on a ballot facing nominees from no other political party is a massive waste of money and effort.
- Adopt Instant Runoff Voting for when you have three or more candidates. IRV eliminates the spoiler effect of three or more candidates. For more information on IRV see FairVote.org.
— Steve Patterson
You say “Eliminate partisan primary elections”. I say make all city elections non-partisan – take the party out of the equation (eliminate the primary entirely) and let candidates run on their individual merits. Combined with IRV and half as many seats, we’d have a much better, more-inclusive system.
Yes, yes, yes! Eliminate partisan anything in civic elections. There just isn’t the collective action issues to stumble over that you have at the State/Federal level. Not to mention how unsuitable such divides are given that in the USA there are only 2 choices (you could say the same for State/Federal as well but that’s another thing all together). It seems to me that the current setup is restricting challengers from running.
Look for those aldermen with long tenure to seek a high paid city job just prior to retirement. It’s a game changer for them in terms of their city pension. Sure makes that low salary during their careers a lot more tolerable!
Hello All! I am writing this letter because I am a homeowner and a business owner in the 15th ward. I am also the neighbor of Lisa Miller and Jan McCall.
I would have no problem with Lisa running for Alderman if her views weren’t so tainted.
In 2005, from the moment My family and I moved into 4170 Hartford we were under attack by Ms. Miller. (Anyone interested in the transcripts I can gladly post them)
We have been accused of bringing “Rats” into the neighborhood, decreasing the property value and numerous claims that have all be unfounded. Ms. Miller has even attacked my clients as well as my family members and my livelihood. She attempted to have my property placed on the nuisance property list (mind you 100% of all her claims have been abated as “UNFOUNDED”), yet these attacks continue.
I challenge any concerned neighbor to walk past the corner of 4170 Hartford and Bent and ask yourself: Is this a nuisance property?
We need someone representing our community without bias. Someone who supports local businesses. Although many claims have been made against my Home and Business; I reiterate, All have been unfounded or abated.
I am not certain who Ms. Dean is, but I would be interested in hearing if there are others whom have been under attack.
I have letters from Ms. Miller stating: no business in our neighborhood, but recently they applied for (and were granted) a permit to operate a business out of their home.
My concern is unfair representation of all that live in the 15th ward.
We need someone that has consistent values as our own and does not attack business growth and development.
Again, I challenge anyone to stop by, call or email chefe@archyouhungry.com and I can share with you endless documents supporting harassment that was all unfounded by the Board of Adjustments, the Building inspector, the NSA, the Health Department and all local Government. Ms. Miller and Ms. McCall continue to attack the integrity of my family, home and business. I have serious concerns if this is the type of representation we need for our ward.
Chef E
4170 Hartford
chefe@archyouhungry.com
Hello All! I am writing this letter because I am a homeowner and a business owner in the 15th ward. I am also the neighbor of Lisa Miller and Jan McCall.
I would have no problem with Lisa running for Alderman if her views weren’t so tainted.
In 2005, from the moment My family and I moved into 4170 Hartford we were under attack by Ms. Miller. (Anyone interested in the transcripts I can gladly post them)
We have been accused of bringing “Rats” into the neighborhood, decreasing the property value and numerous claims that have all be unfounded. Ms. Miller has even attacked my clients as well as my family members and my livelihood. She attempted to have my property placed on the nuisance property list (mind you 100% of all her claims have been abated as “UNFOUNDED”), yet these attacks continue.
I challenge any concerned neighbor to walk past the corner of 4170 Hartford and Bent and ask yourself: Is this a nuisance property?
We need someone representing our community without bias. Someone who supports local businesses. Although many claims have been made against my Home and Business; I reiterate, All have been unfounded or abated.
I am not certain who Ms. Dean is, but I would be interested in hearing if there are others whom have been under attack.
I have letters from Ms. Miller stating: no business in our neighborhood, but recently they applied for (and were granted) a permit to operate a business out of their home.
My concern is unfair representation of all that live in the 15th ward.
We need someone that has consistent values as our own and does not attack business growth and development.
Again, I challenge anyone to stop by, call or email chefe@archyouhungry.com and I can share with you endless documents supporting harassment that was all unfounded by the Board of Adjustments, the Building inspector, the NSA, the Health Department and all local Government. Ms. Miller and Ms. McCall continue to attack the integrity of my family, home and business. I have serious concerns if this is the type of representation we need for our ward.
Chef E
4170 Hartford
chefe@archyouhungry.com
Get Slay out of there
I would like to see the Board of Aldermen have term limits for the same reason you do.