Filing for St. Louis mayor, comptroller and odd wards at the 14-person Board of Aldermen opened Monday.
Mayor Tishaura Jones and a challenger, Cara Spencer, were among the first 10 candidates to file their paperwork at the Board of Elections’ headquarters in Downtown.
“I am excited to file today,” Jones said. “I’m making a choice for the city I love.”
Jones said she is ready to campaign on her record as mayor, rather than on aspirational policies.
“We’ll be able to show people exactly where we have improved some of the things that they are most concerned about, and also let them know how we’re going to improve things in our second term,” she said.
Jones pointed to a significant decrease in violent crime, particularly homicides, and increased investment in the city.
Current Recorder of Deeds Michael Butler had also filed his paperwork as of 5 p.m. Friday. He’ll be listed first on the ballot — all candidates who file on the same day draw numbers to determine their position, and Butler drew the lowest.
This is Spencer’s second run for the office — she lost to Jones by about 2,300 votes in 2021.
“I learned that knocking on doors and being present, being able to get out and really talk to people is important, something we were not able to do in 2021 because of the pandemic,” she said.
Spencer has built a campaign focusing on fiscal responsibility and transparency, a message she said is resonating with voters.
“People are very, very frustrated about the lack of urgency and lack of transparency and just what has been spent with our ARPA [American Rescue Plan Act] dollars,” she said.
“People are very frustrated with a lack of transparency in our jails. We saw another loss of life just a week ago, and people are very rightfully demanding answers to what the heck is going on there.”
Current Recorder of Deeds Michael Butler had also filed his paperwork as of 5 p.m. Friday. He’ll be listed first on the ballot — all candidates who file on the same day draw numbers to determine their position, and Butler drew the lowest.
Contest for Comptroller
One of St. Louis’ longest-serving elected officials will face at least one serious challenger in the March primary.
Donna Baringer, a former south city alderwoman and state representative, filed her paperwork Monday to run against Comptroller Darlene Green.
“We need a fresh set of eyes on the comptroller’s office,” Baringer said.
“I see we have a fiscal problem within two years. Whoever’s sitting in that position needs to be prepared to do what needs to be done to make sure our city thrives and grows.”
Baringer said she would not have waited until newspaper articles outlined problems to audit federal American Rescue Plan Act spending. She said she would also increase transparency around the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, a fiscal oversight board of which the comptroller is a member.
A second challenger, Celeste Metcalf, has created a campaign committee but had not filed for election by the end of the day Monday.
Green, who had not filed as of Tuesday, is planning to seek reelection. She finished the term of Mayor Jones’ father, Virvus, after he pleaded guilty to tax fraud in 1995, and has won every one of her elections since 1996.
Filing for the March 4 primary closes Jan 3. Under St. Louis’ approval voting system, the top two candidates for any office advance to the April 8 general election.
This article originally appeared here.