By Argus Staff
Voters across St. Louis City and St. Louis County delivered a mix of overwhelming mandates and razor-thin decisions in the April 7, 2026 municipal elections—where in several races, a handful of votes determined leadership.
Proposition E Passes with Overwhelming Support
St. Louis City voters resoundingly approved Proposition E:
Yes: 84.8%
No: 15.2%
The outcome represents a decisive mandate, with voters aligning strongly in favor of the measure.
North County Leadership Results
Across North County, several mayoral and council races produced clear winners:
Berkeley Mayor: Ebonee F. Shaw — 91.1%
Ferguson Mayor: Adrien Shropshire — 57.4%
Wellston Mayor: Nathaniel Griffin — 60.4%
University City: Terry Crow — 52.8%
Jennings City Council (Ward 2): Tammy Dailey — 56.5%
These results reflect strong voter preference in several municipalities, with margins signaling a clear direction from those who participated.
Razor-Thin Races Define the Election
While some races were decisive, others came down to margins so small they underscore the power of a single vote:
– Riverview (Ward 1):
Write-in candidate Karen Pauls defeated Ruth Ann Cole by just one vote, 21 to 20
– Bellefontaine Neighbors (Ward 4):
Alicia Smith prevailed over Bryant Nelson by 11 votes
– Pine Lawn (Ward 2):
Barbara Chapman edged Abe Givins by one vote, 27 to 26
These contests were not symbolic—they were determinative. In multiple municipalities, fewer than a dozen ballots decided representation and governance.
Turnout and Its Consequences
Across both St. Louis City and St. Louis County, elections were decided in a less than modest fashion in voter turnout, continuing a pattern that places outsized power in the hands of a small share of the electorate.
In that environment, the mathematics of participation becomes unavoidable: when turnout is low, every single vote carries amplified weight.
The Bottom Line
This election cycle delivered two clear realities:
Decisive outcomes where voters showed up in force.
And razor-thin margins where participation was scarce.
From landslide victories to one-vote decisions, the message across North County and the City is unmistakable:
Every vote counts—and in many cases, it counts more than ever.
