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Mayoral election in St. Louis, Missouri (2025)
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← 2021
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| 2025 St. Louis elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: January 3, 2025 |
| Primary election: March 4, 2025 General election: April 8, 2025 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor |
| Total seats up: 1 (click here for other city elections) |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2025 |
Cara Spencer defeated incumbent Tishaura Jones in the general election for mayor of St. Louis on April 8, 2025.[1] This contest was a rematch of the 2021 election, in which Jones defeated Spencer 52% to 48%. Both candidates were affiliated with the Democratic Party.[2]
In the four-person primary, which utilized approval voting, Spencer received 68% of the vote, and Jones received 33%. St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Austin Huguelt and Joe Holleman wrote that Spencer's performance was a "reversal from four years ago, when Jones beat Spencer by [four] percentage points."[3] St. Louis Public Radio's Rachel Lippmann, Jason Rosenbaum, Will Bauer, and Lacretia Wimbley wrote, "While the outcome of the primary was the same as in 2021, the underlying numbers look quite different."[4]
Jones was first elected in 2021. She campaigned on her record and said, "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."[5] Jones said that she used pandemic funds to improve the city: "Homicides were at an all-time high and services weren’t being delivered. Fast forward to now and we’ve received pandemic relief funds and the first thing we did was to ask the community ‘what would you like to see’ with those funds. And we’ve invested in people, infrastructure and upgraded the government experience."[6]
Spencer was a member of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, representing Ward 8. Spencer campaigned on reducing government corruption and said, "Governments are failing our communities, and the city of St. Louis is failing our communities. And if I’m elected mayor, what I’ll do to rebuild trust is root out corruption in every single city department…zero tolerance for corruption."[6] She also campaigned on public safety. Her website said, "Public safety is Cara’s top priority... A safer St. Louis starts with action and Cara’s committed to ensuring every resident’s right to live in safety."[7]
On March 8, the Democratic Party of St. Louis endorsed Spencer. The party's Central Committee Chair Sean Fauss (D) said the endorsement showed Spencer "was able to win from where I'm at in the south ward all the way into the farthest north ward, and the votes of committee people in between."[8]
Eighteen percent of eligible voters turned out for the primary.[9] Jones said her numbers in the general election would improve with increased turnout and that her strategy was to "make sure that people are aware that there is another election... and increas[e] turnout all over the city."[10] Board of Aldermen president Megan Ellyia Green noted the possible effect that the supporters of the third and fourth-place primary finishers, Michael Butler and Andrew Jones Jr., could have on this race. She pointed to the potential influence of Butler's supporters for Jones and said she thought "a lot of the Butler vote will consolidate to the mayor."[11]
The March 4 primary used approval voting. To learn more about approval voting, click here. For more coverage on the primary, click here.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Mayor of St. Louis
Cara Spencer defeated incumbent Tishaura Jones in the general election for Mayor of St. Louis on April 8, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Cara Spencer (Nonpartisan) | 64.1 | 32,162 |
 | Tishaura Jones (Nonpartisan) | 35.8 | 17,974 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 1 | ||
| Total votes: 50,137 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
| St. Louis uses approval voting, where voters may cast ballots for any number of candidates. A candidate's Approval Percentage is the number of votes cast for the candidate as a percentage of all votes cast. Under this system, the two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election. | |||
| Candidate | % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Cara Spencer (Nonpartisan) | 68.11% | 23,826 |
| |
Tishaura Jones (Nonpartisan) | 33.19% | 11,612 |
| Michael Butler (Nonpartisan) | 24.87% | 8,701 | |
| Andrew Jones (Nonpartisan) | 13.63% | 4,769 | |
| Incumbents are bolded and underlined. | Total votes: | 48,908 | |
| Source: St. Louis Primary Municipal election official results The results have been certified. | |||
Voting information
The following information comes from the City of St. Louis' website.[12]
- 03/14/25: Application-based absentee voting (both by mail and in-person) begins.
- 03/12/25: Last day to register to vote in this election.
- 03/25/25: In-Person no excuse needed absentee voting begins.
- 03/26/25: Last day to request an application-based absentee ballot by mail.
- 04/07/25: Last day to vote absentee in person (both types).
- 04/08/25: Election day. All mail-in ballots must be received by 7 PM. All in-person voters must be in line to vote by 7 PM.
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office:
- Mayor of St. Louis (Assumed office: 2021)
- St. Louis City Treasurer (2013-2021)
- Missouri House of Representatives, District 63 (2009-2013)
Biography: Jones received her bachelor's degree in finance from Hampton University in 1994, her master's in health administration from Saint Louis University in 2001, and a degree in public policy from Harvard in 2015. She previously worked as a healthcare director and as vice president for a banking firm.
Show sources
Sources: The St. Louis American, "Mayor Jones makes it official, seeks re-election," December 3, 2024; The St. Louis American, "Mayoral candidates clash on issues," February 13, 2025; STLPR, "Tishaura Jones touts lower crime, historic investments as she seeks second term as mayor," January 22, 2025; LinkedIn, "Tishaura Jones," accessed February 20, 2025
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of St. Louis in 2025.
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- St. Louis Board of Aldermen, Ward 8 (Assumed office: 2023)
- St. Louis Board of Aldermen, Ward 20 (2015-2023)
Biography: Spencer received her bachelor's degree in mathematics from Truman State University in 2000. Her previous work experience included working as a consultant, working in business forecasting and as vice president of community and economic development for Saint Louis Bank.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of St. Louis in 2025.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Candidate ads
Tishaura Jones
| February 19, 2025 |
Cara Spencer
View more ads here:
Endorsements
Ballotpedia researchers did not identify any candidate websites that provide endorsement information. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
Election spending
Campaign finance
Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Click here to see those reports.
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[13][14][15]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
Election context
Ballot access requirements
Information on ballot access requirements for candidates can be found here.
Past elections
2021
General election
General election for Mayor of St. Louis
Tishaura Jones defeated Cara Spencer in the general election for Mayor of St. Louis on April 6, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tishaura Jones (Nonpartisan) | 51.7 | 30,166 |
| Cara Spencer (Nonpartisan) | 47.8 | 27,865 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 319 | ||
| Total votes: 58,350 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of St. Louis
Tishaura Jones and Cara Spencer defeated Lewis E. Reed and Andrew Jones Jr. in the primary for Mayor of St. Louis on March 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tishaura Jones (Nonpartisan) | 36.4 | 25,388 |
| ✔ | | Cara Spencer (Nonpartisan) | 29.7 | 20,659 |
 | Lewis E. Reed (Nonpartisan) | 24.7 | 17,186 | |
 | Andrew Jones Jr. (Nonpartisan) | 9.2 | 6,428 | |
| Total votes: 69,661 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2017
General election
Tyrone Austin 241 0.41%
Robb Cunningham 515 0.88%
Andrew Jones Jr. 10,112 17.30%
Lyda Krewson 
39,471 67.53%
Johnathan McFarland 1,251 2.14%
Larry Rice 6,126 10.48%
Write-in Votes 737 1.26%[16]
Democratic primary
- Jeffrey L. Boyd, Alderman Ward 22 1,439 2.67%
- Antonio French, Alderman Ward 21 8,530 15.84%
- Bill Haas, St. Louis Elected Board of Education member 257 0.48%
- Tishaura Jones, former state representative for District 63 16,374 30.40%
- Lyda Krewson, Alderman Ward 28 17,253 32.04%
- Jimmie Matthews 145 0.27%
- Lewis Reed, Alderman President 9,856 18.30%[17]
Republican primary
- Andrew Jones Jr. 1,025 61.86%
- Andrew Karandzieff 399 24.08%
- James Osher 233 14.06%[17]
Green primary
Libertarian primary
Mayoral partisanship
St. Louis has a Democratic mayor. As of September 2025, 66 mayors in the largest 100 cities by population are affiliated with the Democratic Party, 23 are affiliated with the Republican Party, one is affiliated with the Libertarian Party, three are independents, five identify as nonpartisan or unaffiliated, and two mayors' affiliations are unknown. Click here for a list of the 100 largest cities' mayors and their partisan affiliations.
Mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan in most of the nation's largest cities. However, many officeholders are affiliated with political parties. Ballotpedia uses one or more of the following sources to identify each officeholder's partisan affiliation: (1) direct communication from the officeholder, (2) current or previous candidacy for partisan office, or (3) identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.
Help inform our readers
Take our candidate survey
- See also: Survey
At Ballotpedia, we believe that everyone deserves meaningful, reliable, trustworthy information about their candidates. We also know that good information—especially at the local level—is hard to find. That's why Ballotpedia created Candidate Connection.
We ask all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Our survey helps voters better understand how their candidates think about the world and how they intend to govern—information they need to feel confident they're picking the best person for the role.
If you are a candidate, take our survey here. Or you can ask a candidate to take the survey by sharing the link with them.
Submit endorsements
Endorsements can be particularly helpful for voters trying to decide between candidates in local races, which often feature nonpartisan candidates. Endorsements from individuals and organizations can help voters better understand policy differences between candidates in these cases where little or no other news coverage of policy stances exists.
Candidates, share endorsements here. Readers, share endorsements you know about here.
About the city
- See also: St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city located in Missouri. It was at one time the county seat of St. Louis County, but voters chose to separate from the county and form an independent city in 1876.[18] As of 2020, its population was 301,578.
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
The city of St. Louis uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for St. Louis, Missouri | ||
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | Missouri | |
| Population | 301,578 | 6,154,913 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 61 | 68,745 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 46.4% | 81.3% |
| Black/African American | 45.7% | 11.4% |
| Asian | 3.4% | 2% |
| Native American | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.1% |
| Other (single race) | N/A | 1.3% |
| Multiple | 3.1% | 3.5% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 4.1% | 4.3% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 88.7% | 90.6% |
| College graduation rate | 37.2% | 29.9% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $45,782 | $57,290 |
| Persons below poverty level | 20.4% | 13% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
2025 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This is a battleground election. Other 2025 battleground elections include:
- Conway School District, Arkansas, elections (2025)
- Mayoral election in San Antonio, Texas (2025)
- Miami Board of Commissioners District 4 special election (2025)
See also
| St. Louis, Missouri | Missouri | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Decision Desk HQ, "Elections across America," accessed April 8, 2025
- ↑ St. Louis Business Journal, "St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones looks vulnerable in spring election: Drebes," January 24, 2025
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Cara Spencer wins primary for St. Louis mayor; Tishaura Jones makes runoff," March 5, 2025
- ↑ STLPR, "Mayor Jones, Alderwoman Spencer advance for rematch of 2021 St. Louis mayoral race," March 4, 2025
- ↑ St. Louis American, "Mayor Jones makes it official, seeks re-election," December 3, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 St. Louis American, "Mayoral candidates clash on issues," February 13, 2025
- ↑ Cara Spencer 2025 campaign website, "A Platform for the Future," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ KDSK, "St. Louis Democratic Party endorses Cara Spencer for mayor in 'unprecedented' vote against incumbent mayor," March 8, 2025
- ↑ St. Louis American, "Mayor Jones, Spencer to face off April 8th," March 6, 2025
- ↑ STLPR, "Jones and Spencer face off over St. Louis’ future in heated joint appearance," March 18, 2025
- ↑ St. Louis Magazine, "Spencer wins mayoral primary, with Jones a distant second," March 4, 2025
- ↑ City of St. Louis, "April 8, 2025 2025 General Municipal Election," accessed April 1, 2025
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
- ↑ City of St. Louis, "2017 Results," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 City of St. Louis, "Primary Results," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ St. Louis County Library, "The 1876 St. Louis City / County split and its effect on research," accessed December 18, 2014
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