2021 St. Louis mayoral election

The 2021 St. Louis mayoral election occurred in two stages, with a unified primary on March 2, 2021, and a two-candidate general election on April 6, 2021.[1] Incumbent Democratic mayor Lyda Krewson was eligible to seek re-election to a second term in office, but chose to retire.[2]

2021 Saint Louis mayoral election
April 6, 2021
Turnout29.15%
 
Candidate Tishaura Jones Cara Spencer
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
Popular vote 30,166 27,865
Percentage 51.70% 47.75%
Results by ward
Jones:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Spencer:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Mayor before election

Lyda Krewson
Democratic

 Elected Mayor

Tishaura Jones
Nonpartisan

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In a primary field of four candidates, St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones and Alderwoman Cara Spencer advanced to the general election.[3] Jones defeated Spencer in the general election by nearly 4% of votes cast, becoming the first African-American woman elected to the office of mayor.[4]

Background

In 2017, then-St. Louis alderwoman Lyda Krewson was elected mayor, becoming the first woman to do so. However, in late 2020, she announced that she would not seek re-election to a second term, despite being eligible to run. Krewson cited her age as the primary reason for her retirement, saying: "I am now pushing 70. So after a lot of thinking and a lot of discussion with my family, I decided to retire in April and not run for re-election." Krewson had faced criticism during her term for her perceived mishandling of Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020, with numerous demonstrations outside the mayor's home and calls for her to resign. Krewson was also facing a primary challenge from Jones and Spencer, both of whom launched their campaigns for mayor before Krewson announced her retirement. However, Krewson denied that these factors had any influence on her decision not to seek re-election.[2]

Some also speculated that Proposition D, a ballot measure passed by St. Louis voters with 68% of the vote in November 2020, would have made it more difficult for Krewson to survive a primary challenge.[2] Proposition D altered St. Louis elections so that they would use a new electoral process. The old system used partisan primaries with first-past-the-post voting. Since 2021, all candidates for municipal elections in St. Louis instead compete in a single nonpartisan primary using approval voting, and the two candidates with the highest vote total advanced to the general election.[1] Krewson opposed Proposition D, while Jones supported it.[2]

Candidates

Candidates who advanced to the general election
Candidate Experience Party preference Ref

Tishaura Jones		 Treasurer of St. Louis (2013–2021)
Former Assistant Minority Floor Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives (2011–2013)
Former state representative (2009–2013)
Candidate for mayor in 2017
Party preference: Democratic
(Website)		 [5][6]

Cara Spencer		 St. Louis alderwoman for the 20th ward (2015–present)
Party preference: Democratic
(Website Archived January 24, 2021, at the Wayback Machine)		 [7]

Candidates eliminated in the primary
Candidate Experience Party preference Ref

Andrew Jones		 Utility manager
Nominee for mayor in 2017
Party preference: Republican
(Website)		 [8][9]

Lewis E. Reed		 President of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen (2007–2022)
Candidate for mayor in 2013 and 2017
Party preference: Democratic
(Website Archived January 13, 2021, at the Wayback Machine)		 [10]

Disqualified

Declined

Primary election

In a primary field of four candidates, St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones and Alderwoman Cara Spencer advanced to the general election.[3] The two women defeated President of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen Lewis E. Reed as well as utility manager Andrew Jones.[15]

Endorsements
Andrew Jones
Organizations
Tishaura Jones
Federal officials
State officials
Mayors
Local officials
Individuals
Organizations
Lewis E. Reed
Local officials
Organizations
Cara Spencer
Mayors
Organizations

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Andrew
Jones		 Tishaura
Jones		 Lewis
Reed		 Cara
Spencer		 Undecided
Remington Research (R)/Missouri Scout[upper-alpha 1] Archived February 15, 2021, at the Wayback Machine[lower-alpha 3] February 3–4, 2021 501 (LV) ± 4.4% 19% 51% 59% 40% —
Show Me Victories (D) January 5–8, 2021 732 (LV) ± 4.0% 5% 28% 30% 11% 27%

Results
Primary results by ward
T. Jones:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%
Spencer:      30-40%      40-50%

Tishaura Jones and Cara Spencer advanced to the general election.[39] Because the primary election was conducted using approval voting (and voters had the opportunity to mark their approval of more than one candidate), the numbers in the "Approval percentage" row add up to more than 100 percent.

March 2, 2021

Primary Election Results[40]

Tishaura Jones Cara Spencer Lewis E. Reed Andrew Jones
Party preference: Democratic Party Democratic Party Democratic Party Republican Party

Votes of approval:

25,388 20,659 17,186 6,428
Approval percentage: 56.96% 46.35% 38.56% 14.42%
Total Vote Cards Cast: 44,571

General election

At the general election on the evening of Tuesday, April 6, 2021, Tishaura Jones defeated Cara Spencer to earn her first term as mayor of St. Louis, winning by over two-thousand votes.[41] This constituted nearly 4% of the people that voted that evening.[42]

Polling

Leading up to the early April election, over 20% of voters told pollsters that they were undecided.[43]

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Tishaura
Jones		 Cara
Spencer		 Undecided
Show Me Victories (D) March 25–28, 2021 650 (LV) ± 4.0% 42% 37% 21%
Show Me Victories (D) March 4–6, 2021 550 (LV) ± 4.2% 40% 35% 25%
Remington Research (R)/Missouri Scout[upper-alpha 1] March 3–4, 2021 544 (LV) ± 4.4% 43% 37% 20%

Results

Tishaura Jones defeated Cara Spencer by a 4% margin.[42] Jones' margin of victory largely came from Northern St. Louis, while Spencer was stronger in the south.[44] Jones received her largest margins in wards where Lewis Reed had come second in the primary.[44]

2021 St. Louis mayoral general election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Tishaura Jones 30,166 51.70
Nonpartisan Cara Spencer 27,865 47.75
Write-in 319 0.55
Total votes 58,237 100.00

Notes
  1. Planned Parenthood Advocates of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri chose to endorse two candidates, as the 2021 mayoral election is St. Louis's first to use approval voting.[31]
  2. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board chose to endorse two candidates, as the 2021 mayoral election is St. Louis's first to use approval voting.[36]
  3. Participants were asked if a candidate would receive one of their votes in the primary election. Due to the nature of this poll, the percentages do not total to 100%.
Partisan clients
  1. Non-partisan poll conducted for the local non-partisan tipsheet Missouri Scout

References
  1. "Upcoming Elections". Government of St. Louis. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  2. "St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson to retire, will not seek re-election". KMOV. November 18, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  3. Schlinkmann, Mark (March 3, 2021). "Tishaura Jones, Cara Spencer advance to St. Louis mayoral runoff". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  4. KSDK Digital (April 6, 2021). "Tishaura Jones makes history as first Black woman to be St. Louis mayor". KSDK. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  5. Kohler, Jeremy (November 30, 2020). "Tishaura Jones files to run for St. Louis mayor". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  6. "Tishaura Jones makes House history". The St. Louis American. November 10, 2010. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  7. Lippmann, Rachel (January 13, 2020). "St. Louis Alderwoman Spencer To Challenge Krewson For Mayor". KWMU. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  8. Schlinkmann, Mark (December 28, 2020). "Andrew Jones is in, Gregory F.X. Daly out in St. Louis mayor's race". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  9. Addo, Koran (March 8, 2017). "Krewson wins Democratic mayoral primary, will likely be next St. Louis mayor". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
  10. Schlinkmann, Mark (November 23, 2020). "Candidates for St. Louis mayor, other offices, file to run in city election". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  11. Schlinkmann, Mark (January 4, 2021). "Political newcomers Lassaad Jeliti, Keith Jefferson join race for St. Louis mayor". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  12. Schlinkmann, Mark (January 5, 2021). "Three St. Louis mayoral candidates disqualified after failing to get enough signatures". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  13. Kirn, Jacob (August 3, 2020). "City of St. Louis mayoral race gets more crowded". St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  14. Schlinkmann, Mark (December 30, 2020). "Reign Restaurant owner Dana Kelly files for St. Louis mayor". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  15. "How St. Louis wards voted in the mayoral primary". ksdk.com. March 3, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  16. Rieck, Dana (February 28, 2021). "With primary around the corner, mayoral candidate endorsements pile up". The St. Louis American. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  17. Wright, Bruce (February 25, 2021). "Ayanna Pressley Endorses Tishaura Jones As Race For St. Louis Mayor Heats Up". NewsOne. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  18. Schlinkmann, Mark (March 3, 2021). "Tishaura Jones, Cara Spencer advance to St. Louis mayoral runoff". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  19. Rieck, Dana (February 23, 2021). "100 local progressives unite behind Tishaura Jones for mayor". The St. Louis American. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  20. Schlinkmann, Mark (February 23, 2021). "Lewis Reed takes lead in fundraising in St. Louis mayoral race". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  21. Bogan, Jesse. "'Fighting the same fight': KC mayor eyes St. Louis mayoral race, hoping for even closer ties". STL Today. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  22. Ryan, Monica (February 16, 2021). "City Treasurer Tishaura Jones endorsed for St. Louis City mayor by county officials". FOX 2. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  23. "Roland Martin supporting Tishaura Jones' mayoral candidacy Feb. 6 and 7". The St. Louis American. St. Louis American staff. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  24. "Vote Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones for St. Louis City Mayor!". Facebook. Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  25. "Democracy for America endorses Tishaura Jones for St. Louis Mayor". Democracy for America. November 4, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  26. "State and Local Candidates". EMILY's List. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  27. Rieck, Dana (November 20, 2020). "Jones receives first endorsement in 2021 campaign from NARAL Pro-Choice PAC". The St. Louis American. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  28. O'Connor, Meg (February 22, 2021). "This Election Could Decide St. Louis's Future". The Appeal. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  29. "Next Up Victory Fund: 2021 Endorsees". People for the American Way. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  30. "We are excited to announce our endorsement of Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones, who is running for Mayor of the City of St. Louis, Missouri". Facebook. January 5, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  31. "We urge our supporters to vote for both Tishaura Jones and Alderwoman Spencer because of their strong records of support for sexual and reproductive health". Facebook. Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  32. Rieck, Dana. "Service employees union endorses Tishaura Jones for mayor". St. Louis American. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  33. "The St. Louis American endorses two women with records of standing up for the voiceless". The St. Louis American. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  34. "Our Candidates". Working Families Party.
  35. Young Democrats of St. Louis [@STLYoungDems] (January 25, 2021). "From calling for The Workhouse to close in 2016 to establishing the College Kids children's savings account program, @tishaura has always been a progressive leader. We're proud to be on #TeamTJ & endorse her campaign to become the first Black woman to serve as mayor of St. Louis" (Tweet). Retrieved January 25, 2021 – via Twitter.
  36. "Editorial: We recommend Lewis Reed and Cara Spencer in the St. Louis mayoral primary". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Editorial Board. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  37. "Proud to support Lewis Reed and to have moderated his two Facebook forms for union workers". Facebook. UFCW Local 655. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  38. Bogan, Jesse (February 21, 2021). "'A whole bunch of history': Two progressives in St. Louis mayor's race get support from the past". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  39. "FINAL OFFICIAL RESULTS - BY APPROVAL PERCENTAGE" (PDF). stlouis-mo.gov. Board of Election Commissioners for the City of St. Louis. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  40. "FINAL OFFICIAL RESULTS - BY APPROVAL PERCENTAGE" (PDF). stlouis-mo.gov. Board of Election Commissioners for the City of St. Louis. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  41. "7 Takeaways From A History-Making Election Night In St. Louis". St. Louis Public Radio. April 7, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  42. "Summary For CITYWIDE, All Counters, All Races FINAL OFFICIAL RESULTS" (PDF). St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  43. "Recent Poll Shows Tishaura Jones has Slight Lead in St. Louis City Mayor's Contest". Show Me Victories. March 30, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  44. Richey, Erin (April 7, 2021). "Analysis: Ward-by-ward breakdown of how St. Louis voted for mayor". KSDK. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
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