ST. LOUIS – The 2025 St. Louis mayoral primary election officially takes place Tuesday, with voters set to narrow the field to two candidates for the April 8 general election. 

The nonpartisan race uses approval voting, allowing voters to select as many candidates as they support.

Turnout in the last mayoral race was around 20%, and city officials are hoping for increased participation this year.

Ben Borgmeyer is with the St. Louis Board of Elections Commissioners and met with FOX 2 at one of the city’s polling locations on Monday evening. 

“So far, through early voting, about 10,000 people have voted, so you know, 20% of 2000 people—that’s about 40,000 votes—so about ¼ of the people have already voted,” Borgmeyer said.

Candidates on the ballot include incumbent Mayor Tishaura Jones, St. Louis Recorder of Deeds Michael Butler, Ward 8 Alderwoman Cara Spencer and the lone Republican in the race, Andrew Jones. 

Some wards will also hold elections.

Polling places open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. 

Voters can cast ballots at any of the 52 locations across the city, and a wait-time app is available to check crowd levels.

“You can vote anywhere you choose to in the city of St. Louis, so any polling place, regardless of where you live or your assigned polling place, is an available polling place,” Borgmeyer said.

Those voting in person must be in line by 7 p.m. to ensure their vote is counted. 

Since it’s too late at this point to to mail-in your ballot, voters who received an absentee ballot by mail can bring it to a polling place and have it spoiled if they choose to vote in person instead.

“Show up and have a good day and everyone get along,” Borgmeyer said.