City Election Board Sets Date for a Special Election to Fill 21st Ward Vacancy

The St. Louis City Election Board voted yesterday to hold a Special Election in Ward 21 on August 2, 2022, to fill the vacancy created by the May 12 resignation of Alderman John Collins-Muhammad. 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 yesterday, 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 21 who voted in the April 6, 2021 mayoral election (i.e., 172 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, July 1. Absentee voting for the Aug. 2 Special Election will begin on Tuesday, July 5.

For more information on the August 2, 2022 Special Election, please contact the Election Board at 314-622-4336 or visit the Board’s website.