Mayor of St. Louis

For a list, see List of mayors of St. Louis.

Mayor of the City of St. Louis
Seal of St. Louis, Missouri
Flag of St. Louis, Missouri
Incumbent
Cara Spencer
since April 15, 2025
Government of St. Louis
StyleThe Honorable; Ms. Mayor (informal)
ResidencePrivate
SeatSt. Louis City Hall
Term lengthFour years, no term limits
Constituting instrumentSt. Louis City Charter
Inaugural holderWilliam Carr Lane
FormationApril 14, 1823; 202 years ago (1823-04-14)
SuccessionPresident, Board of Aldermen
Salary$161,881 (2024)
Website{{Office of the Mayor }}

The mayor of St. Louis is the chief executive officer of St. Louis's city government. The mayor has a duty to enforce city ordinances and the power to either approve or veto city ordinances passed by the Board of Aldermen.[1].

Forty-eight people have held the office, four of whom—William Carr Lane, John Fletcher Darby, John Wimer, and John How—served non-consecutive terms. Lane, the city's first mayor, served the most terms: eight one-year terms plus the unexpired term of Darby. Francis Slay is the longest-serving mayor, having served four 4-year terms. The second-longest-serving mayor was Henry Kiel, who served 12 years and nine days over three terms in office. Two others — Raymond Tucker and Vincent C. Schoemehl — also served three terms, but seven fewer days. The shortest-serving mayor was Arthur Barret, who died 11 days after taking office. The first female mayor was Lyda Krewson, who served from 2017 to 2021.

Duties and powers

The mayor has an office in the St. Louis City Hall

St. Louis was incorporated as a city on December 9, 1822, four months after Missouri was admitted as a state to the Union. In accordance with its new charter, the city changed its governance to a mayor-council format and elected its first mayor, William Carr Lane, on April 7, 1823.[2]

Cabinet

Spencer Administration
OfficeNameTerm
MayorCara Spencer2025–present
Chief of StaffCasey Millburg2025–present
President, Board of Public ServiceRichard T. Bradley, P.E.2025–present
Supply CommissionerChris Carter2025–present
Court AdministratorDiarra Cross-Davis2025–present
Director, Department of Public SafetyShawn Dace2025–present
Interim City CounselorMichael Garvin2025–present
Executive Director, Affordable Housing CommissionApril Ford Griffin2025–present
Director, St. Louis Lambert International AirportRhonda Hamm-Niebruegge
Director, Department of Parks, Recreation, and ForestryGreg Hayes2025–present
Chief Technology OfficerSimon Huang2025–present
Street Department DirectorJames Jackson2025–present
Chief Medical ExaminerKanayo Tatsumi, M.D.2025–present
Executive Director, St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE)Connie Johnson2025–present
Director of PersonnelBrian Light2025–present
Director, Civil Rights Enforcement AgencyDr. Vernon Mitchell, Jr.2025–present
Executive Director, Community Development AdministrationMatt Moak2025–present
Director, Department of Public Utilities and Water CommissionerNiraj S. Patel, P.E.2025–present
Director, Budget DivisionPaul Payne1988–present
Director, Department of Human ServicesAdam Pearson2025–present
Chief Information Officer, (Director of ITSA)Cindy Riordan2025–present
Executive Director, Planning and Urban Design AgencyDon Roe2025–present
Chief Operating OfficerColonel Benjamin Jonsson2025–present

Elections

The mayor is elected for four years during the general municipal election, which is held every two years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in April. The candidates are selected through a combined approval voting primary, with the top two advancing to the general.[3] The mayor is usually sworn during the first session of the Board of Aldermen two weeks after the election.

Under the original city charter, the mayor was elected to a one-year term. Terms became two years under the 1859 city charter.[4] The mayor's office was extended to its present four-year term after passage of the Charter and Scheme in 1876 which separated the City of St. Louis from St. Louis County.[5]

Succession

If the office of mayor becomes vacant through death, resignation, recall, or removal by the board of aldermen, the president of the board of aldermen becomes mayor until a special mayoral election can be held; if the office is only temporarily vacant due to disability of the mayor, the president only acts out the duties of mayor. Should both offices be vacant, the vice-president of the board of aldermen becomes mayor.[1]

Five people have acted as mayor: Wilson Primm following the resignation of John Darby; Ferdinand W. Cronenbold following the resignation of Chauncey Filley; Herman Rechtien following the death of Arthur Barret; George W. Allen following the resignation of David Francis; and Aloys P. Kaufmann following the death of William Becker.

List of mayors

No.[a] Mayor Took office Left office Time in office Election Party
1 William Carr Lane
(1789–1863)
1st time 		April 14, 1823 April 14, 1829 6 years, 0 days 1823 Whig
1824
1825
1826
1827
1828
2 Daniel Page
(1790–1869) 		April 14, 1829 November 11, 1833[b] 4 years, 211 days 1829 Whig
1830
1831
1832
– Samuel Merry
(TBA–TBA)
Disputed 		Ruled ineligible;
did not serve 		Apr.
1833[b] 		Unknown
3 John W. Johnston
(1774–1854) 		November 11, 1833[b] April 14, 1835 1 year, 154 days Nov.
1833 		Whig
1834
4 John Fletcher Darby
(1803–1882)
1st time 		April 14, 1835 October 31, 1837[c][d] 2 years, 200 days 1835 Whig
1836
Apr.
1837
– Wilson Primm
(TBA–TBA)
Acting 		October 31, 1837 November 15, 1837 15 days –[e] Whig
(1) William Carr Lane
(1789–1863)
2nd time 		November 15, 1837 April 14, 1840 2 years, 151 days Nov.
1837 		Whig
1838
1839
(4) John Fletcher Darby
(1803–1882)
2nd time 		April 14, 1840 April 13, 1841 364 days 1840 Whig
5 John D. Daggett
(1793–1874) 		April 13, 1841 April 12, 1842 364 days 1841 Whig
6 George Maguire
(1796–1882) 		April 12, 1842 April 11, 1843 364 days 1842 Democratic
7 John Wimer
(1810–1863)
1st time 		April 11, 1843 April 9, 1844 364 days 1843 Democratic
8 Bernard Pratte
(1803–1886) 		April 9, 1844 April 14, 1846 2 years, 5 days 1844 Whig
1845
9 Peter G. Camden
(1801–1873) 		April 14, 1846 April 13, 1847 364 days 1846 American
10 Bryan Mullanphy
(1809–1851) 		April 13, 1847 April 11, 1848 364 days 1847 Democratic
11 John M. Krum
(1810–1883) 		April 10, 1848 April 10, 1849 1 year, 0 days 1848 Democratic
12 James G. Barry
(1800–1880) 		April 10, 1849 April 9, 1850 364 days 1849 Democratic
13 Luther Martin Kennett
(1807–1873) 		April 9, 1850 April 12, 1853 3 years, 3 days 1850 Whig
1851
1852
14 John How
(c. 1813–1885)
1st time 		April 12, 1853 April 10, 1855 1 year, 363 days 1853 Democratic
1854
15 Washington King
(1815–1861) 		April 10, 1855 April 15, 1856 1 year, 5 days 1855 American
(14) John How
(c. 1813–1885)
2nd time 		April 15, 1856 April 14, 1857 364 days 1856 Democratic
(7) John Wimer
(1810–1863)
2nd time 		April 14, 1857 April 13, 1858 364 days 1857 Democratic
16 Oliver Filley
(1806–1881) 		April 13, 1858 April 9, 1861 2 years, 361 days 1858 Republican
1859
17 Daniel G. Taylor
(1819–1878) 		April 9, 1861 April 14, 1863 2 years, 5 days 1861 Republican
18 Chauncey Ives Filley
(1829–1923) 		April 14, 1863 March 19, 1864[c][f] 340 days 1863 Republican
– Ferdinand W. Cronenbold
(TBA–TBA)
Acting 		March 19, 1864 April 11, 1864 23 days –[g] Unknown
19 James S. Thomas
(1802–1874) 		April 11, 1864 April 13, 1869 5 years, 2 days 1864 special Republican
1865
1867
20 Nathan Cole
(1825–1904) 		April 13, 1869 April 11, 1871 1 year, 363 days 1869 Republican
21 Joseph Brown
(1823–1899) 		April 11, 1871 April 13, 1875 4 years, 2 days 1871 War Democrat
1873
22 Arthur Barret
(1836–1875) 		April 13, 1875 April 24, 1875[h] 11 days Apr.
1875 		Democratic
– Herman Rechtien
(TBA–TBA)
Acting 		April 24, 1875 May 29, 1875 35 days –[i] Unknown
23 James H. Britton
(1817–1900) 		May 29, 1875 February 9, 1876[j] 256 days May
1875 		Democratic
24 Henry Overstolz
(1821–1887) 		February 9, 1876[j] April 12, 1881 5 years, 62 days May
1875 		Independent
1877
25 William L. Ewing
(1843–1905) 		April 12, 1881 April 14, 1885 4 years, 2 days 1881 Republican
26 David R. Francis
(1850–1927) 		April 14, 1885 January 2, 1889[c][k] 3 years, 263 days 1885 Democratic
– George W. Allen
(TBA–TBA)
Acting 		January 2, 1889 April 6, 1889 94 days –[l] Democratic
27 Edward A. Noonan
(1852–1927) 		April 6, 1889 April 8, 1893 4 years, 2 days 1889 Democratic
28 Cyrus Walbridge
(1849–1921) 		April 8, 1893 April 10, 1897 4 years, 2 days 1893 Republican
29 Henry Ziegenhein
(c. 1845–1910) 		April 10, 1897 April 9, 1901 3 years, 364 days 1897 Republican
30 Rolla Wells
(1856–1944) 		April 9, 1901 April 13, 1909 8 years, 4 days 1901 Democratic
1905
31 Frederick Kreismann
(1869–1944) 		April 13, 1909 April 12, 1913 3 years, 364 days 1909 Republican
32 Henry Kiel
(1871–1942) 		April 12, 1913 April 21, 1925 12 years, 9 days 1913 Republican
1917
1921
33 Victor J. Miller
(1888–1955) 		April 21, 1925 April 18, 1933 7 years, 362 days 1925 Republican
1929
34 Bernard F. Dickmann
(1888–1971) 		April 18, 1933 April 15, 1941 7 years, 362 days 1933 Democratic
1937
35 William D. Becker
(1876–1943) 		April 15, 1941 August 1, 1943[h] 2 years, 108 days 1941 Republican
– Aloys P. Kaufmann
(1902–1984) 		August 1, 1943 TBA TBA –[m] Republican
36 TBA April 19, 1949 TBA 1944 special
37 Joseph Darst
(1889–1953) 		April 19, 1949 April 21, 1953 4 years, 2 days 1949 Democratic
38 Raymond Tucker
(1896–1970) 		April 21, 1953 April 20, 1965 11 years, 364 days 1953 Democratic
1957
1961
39 Alfonso J. Cervantes
(1920–1983) 		April 20, 1965 April 17, 1973 7 years, 362 days 1965 Democratic
1969
40 John Poelker
(1913–1990) 		April 17, 1973 April 19, 1977 4 years, 2 days 1973 Democratic
41 James F. Conway
(1932–2025) 		April 19, 1977 April 21, 1981 4 years, 2 days 1977 Democratic
42 Vincent C. Schoemehl
(born 1946) 		April 21, 1981 April 20, 1993 11 years, 364 days 1981 Democratic
1985
1989
43 Freeman Bosley Jr.
(born 1954) 		April 20, 1993 April 15, 1997 3 years, 360 days 1993 Democratic
44 Clarence Harmon
(born 1940) 		April 15, 1997 April 17, 2001 4 years, 2 days 1997 Democratic
45 Francis Slay
(born 1955) 		April 17, 2001 April 18, 2017 16 years, 1 day 2001 Democratic
2005
2009
2013
46 Lyda Krewson
(born 1953) 		April 18, 2017 April 20, 2021 4 years, 2 days 2017 Democratic
47 Tishaura Jones
(born 1972) 		April 20, 2021 April 15, 2025 3 years, 360 days 2021 Democratic
48 Cara Spencer
(born 1978) 		April 15, 2025 Incumbent 331 days 2025 Democratic
The Mayor of St. Louis has an office on the second floor of City Hall.

Notes

  1. ^ 47 people have served as mayor, with four serving non-consecutive terms; the table includes these non-consecutive terms as well.
  2. ^ a b c Samuel Merry was elected mayor of St. Louis in April 1833; however, his eligibility was questioned by the City Council as he was a federal officer—United States Receiver of Public Moneys in St. Louis. Merry filed suit to force the council's compliance and in October 1833, he was ruled ineligible by the Missouri Supreme Court.[6] Johnston was elected mayor in a special mayoral election held a month later on November 9. Page continued to serve as mayor until the case was settled and Johnston elected.[7][8]
  3. ^ a b c Resigned from office.
  4. ^ Darby resigned from office. William Carr Lane was later elected to fill the vacancy.[9]
  5. ^ As president of the Board of Aldermen, Primm acted as mayor following the resignation of Darby.[10]
  6. ^ Filley resigned due to poor health.[11][12]
  7. ^ As president of the Board of Common Council, Cronenbold acted as mayor following the resignation of Chauncey Filley.
  8. ^ a b Died in office.
  9. ^ As president of the City Council, Rechtin acted as mayor following the death of Arthur Barret.[13][14]
  10. ^ a b Henry Overstolz was declared defeated by James Britton in the 1875 election, but contested the election and was seated as mayor nine months later after a recount of the ballots.[15]
  11. ^ Resigned to become Governor of Missouri.[16]
  12. ^ As president of the City Council, Allen acted as mayor following the resignation of David Francis.[16][17]
  13. ^ As president of the Board of Aldermen, Kaufmann became mayor following the death of William Becker. He was later elected mayor, in a special mayoral election in November 1944, to fill Becker's unexpired term.[18]

References

General
Charters
Specific
  1. ^ a b "St. Louis City Charter, Article VII". St. Louis Public Library. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
  2. ^ Conard, Howard Louis (1901). Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri. Vol. 1. New York; Louisville; St. Louis: The Southern History Company. pp. 569–572. OCLC 32872107.
  3. ^ Schlinkmann, Mark (March 1, 2021). "St. Louis mayoral candidates, voters deal with new rules in Tuesday's primary". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  4. ^ "St. Louis Mayors: Oliver D. Filley". St. Louis Public Library. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
  5. ^ "St. Louis Mayors: Henry Overstolz". St. Louis Public Library. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
  6. ^ State v. Samuel Merry (Mo. 1833), Text.
  7. ^ "St. Louis Mayors: John W. Johnston". St. Louis Public Library. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2008.
  8. ^ Shepard, Elihu Hotchkiss (1870). The Early History of St. Louis and Missouri. Saint Louis: Southwestern Book and Publishing Company. p. 112. OCLC 2804761. Retrieved September 3, 2008.
  9. ^ Stevens, Walter Barlow (1911). St. Louis: The Fourth City, 1764-1911. The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. p. 112. OCLC 9351989. Retrieved August 22, 2008.
  10. ^ "Proceedings of the Board of Aldermen of the City of St. Louis". Daily Commercial Bulletin and Missouri Literary Register. December 2, 1837.
  11. ^ "St. Louis Mayors: Chauncey I. Filley". St. Louis Public Library. Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
  12. ^ "Resignation of the Mayor". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. St. Louis. March 16, 1864. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  13. ^ "Arthur B. Barret. The Mayor's Illness Results in Death This Morning". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 24, 1875.
  14. ^ "A Municipal Row". The Inter Ocean. May 19, 1875.
  15. ^ "St. Louis Mayors: James H. Britton". St. Louis Public Library. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
  16. ^ a b "The City Hall Change". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 2, 1889. p. 10.
  17. ^ "Next Municipal Chief". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 2, 1889. p. 2.
  18. ^ "Aloys P. Kaufmann". The New York Times. February 15, 1984. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mayors_of_St._Louis