St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners

Vernon Betts initially lost the August Democratic primary to a former deputy, Alfred Montgomery, by 256 votes. Because the margin was less than 1%, Betts was entitled to a recount under law.

A judge authorized a recount in the Democratic primary for sheriff to be completed by Tuesday afternoon. Initial results showed incumbent Vernon Betts losing by 256 votes out of more than 45,000 cast.

The iPads were used solely to check in voters and contained only public information like names and addresses. Elections officials say they have made it more difficult to access the warehouse space after the theft.

Board President Megan Green will have no opposition as she seeks a full term in the post.

Approval voting means both candidates will advance to the November general election. The Sept. 13 primary is also the first election since a new state law took effect requiring a state-issued photo ID to vote.

Five locations are already open for two weeks of early voting. Eleven more polling places will open on Sept. 13. Election officials say the setup is possible because of new technology that prints ballots on demand.

The city’s charter says that unless a vacancy occurs within six months of a general election, a seat on the Board of Aldermen must be filled by a special election within 90 days.

An election official said his agency is conferring with an attorney to see if the redistricting ballot measure will go before city voters in April or August 2022.

Voters should prepare for longer lines this election due to the coronavirus pandemic. Elections officials closed some polling sites because they could not accommodate social distancing. They closed other sites because poll workers feared they would contract the virus and did not sign up.

In an effort to elect candidates with a broader base of support, a group called STL Approves is backing Proposition D, which is on the ballot Nov. 3. It would make the mayor, comptroller, board president and aldermen nonpartisan offices. Voters could select as many candidates as they want in March, a method of holding elections known as approval voting. The top two candidates would run against each other in April.