2023 St. Louis aldermanic elections

The 2023 St. Louis aldermanic elections were held in two rounds, with nonpartisan blanket approval voting primaries on March 7 and general elections on April 4. All 14 members of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and the President of the Board of Aldermen were elected. These were the first elections held after Proposition R (2012) came into effect, reducing the number of alderpersons from 28 to 14.

Numerous incumbent alderpersons ran in the newly-drawn 14 wards. Some local media outlets used the term "Aldergeddon" in reference to the competitive nature of several incumbents running against each other. Winning candidates in even-numbered wards were elected to four-year terms and winning candidates in odd-numbered wards were elected to two-year terms.

Incumbent Board President Megan Green, a progressive who was first elected in a 2022 special election after the resignation of Lewis Reed, was re-elected to a full four-year term unopposed. Progressive candidates ideologically affiliated with Green and Mayor Tishaura Jones won a majority of seats on the Board.

Declared

 * Megan Green, incumbent president of the board of aldermen (2022–present) and former 15th ward alderwoman (2014–22)

Declined

 * Sharon Tyus, incumbent 1st ward alderwoman (2013–present) and former 20th ward alderwoman (1991–2003)

Ward 1
Located on the southern extreme of the city limits, the 1st ward partially or entirely covers the neighborhoods of Patch, Boulevard Heights, Carondelet, and Bevo Mill. Since 2021, this area had been represented by 13th ward Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer, who defeated incumbent Beth Murphy.

Declared

 * Tony Kirchner, sheriff deputy
 * Matthew Kotraba, insurance agent and 13th ward Republican committeman
 * Anne Schweitzer, incumbent 13th ward alderwoman (2021–2023)

Declined

 * Bill Stephens, incumbent 12th ward alderman (2021–2023)

Ward 2
Located in the city's southwest corner, the 2nd ward partially or entirely covers the neighborhoods of Boulevard Heights, Princeton Heights, and St. Louis Hills. Two incumbents represented areas of the new ward: Carol Howard (14th), Tom Oldenburg (16th). Only Oldenburg filed to run in the new 2nd ward.

Declared

 * Katie Bellis, former member of the Capital Committee’s Citizen Advisory Committee from Princeton Heights
 * Phil Menendez, former St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer from St. Louis Hills (Republican)
 * Tom Oldenburg, incumbent 16th ward alderman (2017–2023)

Declined

 * Carol Howard, incumbent 14th ward alderwoman (2010–2023)

Ward 3
The 3rd ward is located in the southeast of the city, anchored in the Dutchtown neighborhood. Incumbent 25th ward alderman Shane Cohn was the only candidate in this ward.

Declared

 * Shane Cohn, incumbent 25th ward alderman (2009–2023)

Ward 4
The 4th ward is located on the city's western edge, south of Forest Park and extending through the Hi-Pointe, Ellendale, and Lindenwood Park neighborhoods, including the area known as Dogtown. Incumbent aldermen Bret Narayan (24th) and Joe Vaccaro (23rd) both ran in this ward.

Declared

 * Bret Narayan, incumbent 24th ward alderman (2019–2023)
 * Casey Otto, freelance photographer from Clifton Heights, son of former state representative Bill Otto
 * Joe Vaccaro, incumbent 23rd ward alderman (2009–2023)

Ward 5
The 5th ward covers The Hill, Southwest Garden, and North Hampton neighborhoods. Incumbent 10th ward alderman and former interim Board President Joe Vollmer ran in this ward.

Declared

 * Helen Petty, owner of ChopShop salon in Forest Park Southeast
 * Joe Vollmer, incumbent 10th ward alderman, former interim President of the Board of Aldermen (2022), and owner of Milo’s Bocce Garden in The Hill

Ward 6
The south-central 6th ward is anchored around Tower Grove Park, covering the Shaw, Tower Grove South, and Compton Heights neighborhoods. Annie Rice, who represented the 8th ward in Shaw, declined to run in this district. The 15th ward, centered on Tower Grove South, was Board President Megan Green's former seat.

Declared

 * Jennifer Florida, former St. Louis Recorder of Deeds (2014) and 15th ward alderwoman (2001–2014)
 * Daniela Velazquez, public relations executive at FleishmanHillard

Withdrawn

 * Megan Green, incumbent president of the board of aldermen (2022–present) and former 15th ward alderwoman (2014–2022) (endorsed Velazquez)

Declined

 * Annie Rice, incumbent 8th ward alderwoman (2018–2023) (endorsed Velazquez)

Ward 7
The 7th ward covers Tower Grove East, Benton Park West, and the Gate District neighborhoods. The seat was open, as 6th ward Christine Ingrassia resigned in February 2023 to accept a position in Board President Megan Green's office. She had previously announced that she would not run for re-election.

Declared

 * Jon-Pierre Mitchom
 * Cedric L. Redmon, Jr., musician
 * Alisha Sonnier, member of the St. Louis Public School Board

Declined

 * Christine Ingrassia, former 6th ward alderwoman (2013–2023) (endorsed Sonnier)

Ward 8
The 8th ward covers parts of Downtown St. Louis, Soulard, and Benton Park. Incumbent 20th ward alderwoman Cara Spencer ran for re-election in this ward, while incumbent aldermen Dan Guenther (9th) and Jack Coatar (7th) declined to run.

Declared

 * Shedrick Kelley, 7th ward aldermanic candidate in 2021
 * Ken Ortmann, former 9th ward alderman (1999–2017) and 9th ward aldermanic candidate in 2021
 * Cara Spencer, incumbent 20th ward alderwoman (2015–2023) and 2021 mayoral candidate

Declined

 * Jack Coatar, incumbent 7th ward alderman (2015–2023)
 * Dan Guenther, incumbent 9th ward alderman (2017–2023)

Ward 9
The 9th ward is located in the city's central corridor, east and southeast of Forest Park and covering the populous Central West End and Forest Park Southeast, the latter of which includes the Grove. Two incumbents ran in this ward: Tina "Sweet-T" Pihl (17th) and Michael J. Gras (28th).

In the initial unofficial results, incumbent alderpersons Tina Pihl and Mike Gras both received 868 votes, making it unclear who would advance to the general election against Michael Browning, who came in first. After absentee and provisional ballots were counted, Pihl surpassed Gras by 8 votes.

Declared

 * Michael Browning
 * Michael J. Gras, incumbent 28th ward alderman
 * Tina "Sweet-T" Pihl, incumbent 17th ward alderwoman

Ward 10
The 10th ward is located on the city's western central edge, including Forest Park and the neighborhoods of Skinker-DeBaliviere and West End. Incumbent 26th ward alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard ran for re-election in this ward.

Declared

 * Shameem Clark Hubbard, incumbent 26th ward alderwoman (2019–2023)
 * Emmett L. Coleman, businessman

Ward 11
The 11th ward runs from central north city (including O'Fallon and JeffVanderLou) down to Midtown in the central corridor. Incumbent 21st ward alderwoman Laura Keys, who was elected in a 2022 special election after the resignation of John Collins-Muhammad, ran for re-election in this ward.

Declared

 * Laura Keys, incumbent 21st ward alderwoman (2022–2023)
 * Carla "Coffee" Wright, perennial candidate and U.S. Senate candidate in 2018 and 2022

Withdrawn candidates

 * Marlene Davis, incumbent 19th ward alderwoman (2007–2023)

Ward 12
The 12th ward covers a broad area of north city, including the neighborhoods of Penrose and The Ville. There are five active candidates running in this ward, the most in this cycle. Incumbent alderwoman Sharon Tyus (1st) ran for re-election in this ward, despite previously speculating that she "might" challenge Megan Green for Board President.

Declared

 * Yolanda Brown
 * Darron Collins-Bey
 * Tashara Earl
 * Walter Rush
 * Sharon Tyus, incumbent 1st ward alderwoman (2013–2023) and former 20th ward alderwoman (1991–2003)

Withdrawn candidate

 * Dwinderlin Evans, incumbent 4th ward alderwoman (2020–2023)

Ward 13
The 13th ward covers the northern extreme of the city limits, including the neighborhoods Baden, Riverfront, and North Riverfront. It is the largest of the 14 wards by area. Three incumbents ran for re-election in this ward: Pamela Boyd (27th), Lisa Middlebrook (2nd), and Norma Walker (22nd). It is the only election this cycle in which all candidates are incumbents.

Declared

 * Pamela Boyd, incumbent 27th ward alderwoman (2017–2023)
 * Lisa Middlebrook, incumbent 2nd ward alderwoman (2017–2023)
 * Norma Walker, incumbent 22nd ward alderwoman (2022–2023)

Ward 14
The 14th ward covers part of Downtown, Downtown West, St. Louis Place, and Hyde Park. Incumbent aldermen Brandon Bosley (3rd) and James Page (5th) ran for re-election in this district. State representative Rasheen Aldridge also ran.

Declared

 * Rasheen Aldridge, state representative from the 78th district (2020–2023)
 * Brandon Bosley, incumbent 3rd ward alderman (2017–2023)
 * James Page, incumbent 4th ward alderman (2021–2023)
 * Ebony Washington, real estate agent