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. The election was the first in the nation to use approval voting for a primary. Incumbent Democratic mayor Lyda Krewson was eligible to seek re-election to a second term in office, but chose to retire.

In a primary field of four candidates, St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones and Alderwoman Cara Spencer advanced to the general election. 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.

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.

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. 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. Krewson opposed Proposition D, while Jones supported it.

Candidates Candidates who advanced to the general election CandidateExperienceParty preferenceRefTishaura JonesTreasurer 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 2017Party preference: Democratic(Website)Cara SpencerSt. Louis alderwoman for the 20th ward (2015–present)Party preference: Democratic(Website )

Candidates eliminated in the primary CandidateExperienceParty preferenceRefAndrew JonesUtility managerNominee for mayor in 2017Party preference: Republican(Website)Lewis E. ReedPresident of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen (2007–2022)Candidate for mayor in 2013 and 2017Party preference: Democratic(Website )

Disqualified Keith Jefferson, small business owner Lassaad Jeliti, restaurateur Dana Kelly, restaurateur (party preference: Democratic)

Declined Gregory F. X. Daly, St. Louis Collector of Revenue (party preference: Democratic) Lyda Krewson, incumbent mayor (2017–present) (party preference: Democratic)

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

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AndrewJones TishauraJones LewisReed CaraSpencer UndecidedRemington Research (R)/Missouri Scout 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

Tishaura Jones and Cara Spencer advanced to the general election. 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 resultsTishaura JonesCara SpencerLewis E. ReedAndrew JonesParty preference:Democratic PartyDemocratic PartyDemocratic PartyRepublican PartyVotes of approval: 25,38820,65917,1866,428Approval 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. This constituted nearly 4% of the people that voted that evening.

Polling Leading up to the early April election, over 20% of voters told pollsters that they were undecided. Poll sourceDate(s)administeredSamplesizeMarginof errorTishauraJonesCaraSpencerUndecidedShow Me Victories (D)Show Me Victories (D)March 25–28, 2021650 (LV)± 4.0%42%37%21%Show Me Victories (D)Show Me Victories (D)March 4–6, 2021550 (LV)± 4.2%40%35%25%Remington Research (R)/Missouri ScoutMarch 3–4, 2021544 (LV)± 4.4%43%37%20%

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

Results by ward +WardTishuara JonesCara SpencerWrite-inTotal VotesVotes%Votes%Votes%Ward 1 126284.1322915.2790.61500Ward 2 104379.1426920.4160.461318Ward 3 94080.4822319.0950.431168Ward 4 112487.1315812.2580.621290Ward 599072.2137627.4350.361371Ward 6167360.18109739.46100.362780Ward 7116544.08145955.20190.722643Ward 8198157.34146242.32120.353455Ward 9113450.92107948.45140.632227Ward 1088335.95155963.48140.572456Ward 1160338.4895761.0770.451567Ward 1257620.41221378.42331.172822Ward 1379132.67161066.50200.832421Ward 1467938.65107160.9670.401757Ward 15169258.57118841.1290.312889Ward 1669318.17308180.76411.073815Ward 17121751.74113048.0450.212352Ward 18116577.3633722.3840.271506Ward 19100673.4335926.2050.361370Ward 2065154.0754345.10100.831204Ward 21145185.2024914.6230.181703Ward 2286984.3716115.6300.001030Ward 2398328.53243570.66280.813446Ward 2487134.41164464.95160.632531Ward 2571658.7449540.6180.661219Ward 26158578.7841920.8380.402012Ward 27126384.2623115.4150.331499Ward 28116038.68183161.0580.272999

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links “Approval Voting” in the St. Louis Mayoral Election - MCI Maps