Uneven Public Records Cloud April 7 St. Louis Elections | The Locally Times
While Sunset Hills public records list all candidates for the April 7 election, Crestwood's notice for four charter amendments omits the proposed text, highlighting information gaps for voters.
Residents in seven St. Louis region cities—Webster Groves, Overland, Town and Country, Crestwood, Sunset Hills, Des Peres, and Brentwood—will select local leaders and decide on governance issues in the April 7, 2026, General Municipal Election. The voter registration deadline for these contests was March 11, as The Locally Times previously reported. According to the St. Louis City Board of Election Commissioners, polls will close at 7 PM on election day. The board’s records state all mail-in ballots must be received by that deadline, and any voter in line at a polling place by 7 PM will be permitted to vote. Louis City Board of Election Commissioners, the period for in-person, no-excuse absentee voting began on March 24, 2026. This allows registered voters to cast their ballot ahead of election day without needing to provide a reason. The final day for voters to request an application-based absentee ballot by mail was March 25, 2026. The last opportunity for in-person absentee voting is April 6, 2026, the day before the election. Although regional deadlines are established, public records do not provide a centralized list of polling locations for the seven municipalities. Voters must obtain that information from their respective city or county election authorities. ## What's on the Ballot: From Mayors to Charter Amendments Public records show voters will be filling key leadership positions and altering the legal documents that govern their cities. In Webster Groves, a city notice for the April 7 election states that voters will select one Mayor and three Council Members. The public notice confirms the existence of these ballot measures, but the source documents do not provide the specific language of the proposed amendments or an analysis of their potential financial or legal implications. Conversely, the City of Sunset Hills has provided a detailed list of candidates. A civic alert posted by the city on January 15, 2026, shows incumbent Mayor Patricia Fribis is running for re-election. The city’s records also detail contested races for aldermanic seats in all four wards, with incumbents Casey F. Wong (Ward 2), Kurtis Krueger (Ward 3), and Mark Colombo (Ward 4) facing challengers. The candidate list includes names, addresses, and contact information for all individuals who filed. ## Gaps in Public Records Leave Voters Searching for Details The level of transparency varies significantly across the region. Public notices from Overland, Town and Country, Des Peres, and Brentwood confirm an election will occur on April 7 but lack the specificity seen in records from Sunset Hills. Notices from Town and Country and Des Peres, for instance, direct residents to an external link for more information, and Overland’s website mentions candidates have filed without providing a comprehensive list in the primary announcement. This fragmented information landscape means voters in some municipalities have a less direct path to learning who is on their ballot. The records do not indicate a coordinated effort among the municipalities to present election information in a standardized format. Furthermore, beyond names and incumbent status where available, the public records do not contain information on candidates' platforms, such as their stances on economic development or budget priorities.