City Election Board Sets Date for a Special Election to Fill 11th Ward Vacancy

The St. Louis City Election Board voted today to hold a Special Election in Ward 11 on July 12, 2022, to fill the vacancy created by the April 19 resignation of Alderwoman Sarah Wood Martin. Because the vacancy occurred more than 180 days prior to the next General Municipal Election in 2023, Article IV, Section 5 of the City Charter requires that a Special Election be held no sooner than 75 days nor later than 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy. The individual elected will serve until the next General Municipal Election (April 4, 2023).

Since there is no primary election in this instance, the city central committees of the established political parties have the right to certify to the Election Board their candidates to stand for election to fill the vacancy. At its meeting today, the Board voted 2-1 to conduct the Special Election as a partisan election, which means that candidates certified by the party city central committees will be listed on the ballot with a party designation. Any other interested person can run as a non-partisan candidate by submitting a nominating petition containing the signatures of at least 10% of the registered voters in Ward 11 who voted in the April 6, 2021 mayoral election (i.e., 158 signatures). The deadline for submitting party certifications and nominating petitions is 30 days before the date of the Special Election, or by the close of business on Friday, June 10. Absentee voting for the July 12 Special Election will begin on Monday, June 13.

For more information on the July 12, 2022 Special Election, please contact the Election Board at 314-622-4336 or visit the Board’s website.