The St. Louis Board of Aldermen now has the historic 14 members that will help guide the city into a new era following the Tuesday April 4 Municipal Election. Instead of 28 members, the board has been reduced by half. It must work now with Mayor Tishaura Jones, Board of Aldermen President Megan Green, and Comptroller Darlene Green, who comprise the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, and other elected officials at a pivotal time in St. Louis history.
Megan Green ran unopposed and will now begin her first full term after winning the November race to fill the term of former BOA President Lewis Reed, who resigned before pleading guilty to corruption charges.
 
Voter turnout was 18.05%, and most of the evening’s aldermanic races had clear
victors. However, there were a few close contests.
Shameem Hubbard won the 10th Ward seat over Emmett Coleman by garnering 1,163 votes (53.2%). Coleman received 1,021 votes, making Hubbard’s margin of victory a scant 42 votes.
 
In the 14th Ward, Rasheen Aldridge topped Ebony Washington by just 76 votes.
Aldridge, who will be leaving the state legislature, tallied 903 votes (51.6%) to
Washington’s 827 (47.2%.) There were also 21 write-in votes in the race.
The closely watched race in the 9th Ward that saw incumbent Tina Pihl against
newcomer Michael Browning turned into a lopsided victory for Browning. His 1,771 votes (63.1%) easily topped Pihl’s 1,021 (36.4%).
 
Pamela Boyd won the 13th Ward contest over Norma Walker, with neither candidate receiving 1,000 votes. Boyd claimed 978 votes (54%) and Walker received 827 (45.7%.)
 
History was made in the 6th Ward where Daniela Velazquez became the first Latino and Puerto Rican member of the Board of Aldermen. She vanquished longtime politician Jennifer Florida 2,108 (65.1%) to 1,112 (34.3%).
 
SLPS School Board member Alisha Sonnier will be changing her role as an elected official. Sonnier won the 7th Ward contest over J.P. Mitchom with 1,465 votes (60.6%). Mitchom was far behind with 930 votes (38.4%).
 
In the 11th Ward, Laura Keys easily clipped Carla Wright 781 (69%) to 335 (29.7%) in another race where the candidates did not top 1,000 votes.
 
Longtime Alderman Sharon Tyus will return to the board after topping Tashara Earl in the 12th Ward. Tyus garnered 1,074 votes (55.3%) to Earl’s 858 (44.2%).
Other BOA results:
 
1st Ward
Anne Schweitzer – 1,611
Tony Kirchner – 1,472
2nd Ward
Thomas Oldenburg – 2,199
Phill Menendez – 1,437
 
3rd Ward
Shane Cohn – 823
Write-in Votes – 53
 
4th Ward
Brett Narayan – 2,230
Joseph Vaccaro – 1,842
 
5th Ward
Joseph Vollmer – 2,172
Helen Petty – 1,575
 
8th Ward
Cara Spencer – 1,795
Kenneth Ortmann – 517
 
Propositions pass in city
Proposition C and the proposition to levy a 3% tax on cannabis sales glided to
respective victories on Tuesday.
More than 60% of voters voted to approve Prop C, which will create a nine-member charter commission that would meet every 10 years. The commission will review the city’s foundational document and draft any proposed changes that would then go back to the voters. Members of the charter commission would be nominated by the mayor from a pool of applicants recommended by the Board of Aldermen. The nominees would require approval by the board. Three would reside south of Arsenal, three in an area roughly north of Page Boulevard and
three in the central corridor.
 
More than 62% voted for the proposal, simply labeled Proposition on the ballot, to tax recreational marijuana. St. Louis County approved a similar 3% sales tax.

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