ST. LOUIS — Alderman Megan Green on Monday was the first to say she’s running for aldermanic president in upcoming special elections to replace Lewis Reed, who resigned last week after his recent indictment on corruption charges.
Green confirmed her plans in a telephone interview after informing the Missouri Ethics Commission she was changing the purpose of her ongoing campaign committee to a race for aldermanic president this November.
“It means that I’m in,” she said.
Green, who is part of the Board of Aldermen’s progressive faction, said she’ll release a detailed platform and hold a formal campaign kickoff after the city Election Board firms up details on when the elections will be held.
But she said one element of her campaign message would be a commitment to changing the city’s tax incentive policies.
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“We have to have somebody leading the board with an eye to reforming these systems,” Green said. “I’ve always been pushing the board to be more transparent.”
At least three other fellow Democratic aldermen have said they’re considering the race as well — former mayoral candidate Cara Spencer, Jack Coatar and Tom Oldenburg.
Board Vice President Joe Vollmer became acting president upon Reed’s resignation but has said he won’t run for the post in the upcoming elections.
Reed, who held the job 15 years, announced his resignation June 7. He and two other aldermen who also resigned are accused of accepting bribes from a businessman in exchange for helping approve tax abatement legislation and other actions. Each pleaded not guilty.
Green, 38, has been on the board since 2014, representing the 15th Ward centered on the Tower Grove South neighborhood.
She ran unsuccessfully for aldermanic president in the 2019 Democratic primary against Reed, finishing third with 31.2% of the vote.
Green was a supporter of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones’ campaign last year for mayor against Spencer and also backed Jones in a previous bid for mayor in 2017.
Green said Monday she would release endorsements when she “officially announces” and didn’t give details.
But, she said in a text message, “given the turmoil in City government, I do believe it’s important we have a president of the board who is willing to work collaboratively with the Mayor to address the challenges of our city.” Jones didn’t comment Monday on Green’s entry.
The Election Board’s chairman on Friday said the board was still doing legal research and had yet to decide specifics on the upcoming special citywide votes.
But he said it was likely that the board would call a special primary election for late August, September or early October at which candidates would be chosen for the November general election.
He said it’s also likely that the primary and November vote would be run under the nonpartisan “approval voting” ordinance enacted by voters in 2020.
Under that system, residents vote for as many candidates as they approve of in the primary; the top two finishers advance to the general-election runoff.
Whoever is elected in November would serve the final few months of Reed’s current four-year term, which expires in April. Another election would be held in April, preceded by a primary in March, to elect someone to serve the next four-year term.
Prior to Reed’s indictment and resignation, Green had announced that she planned to seek re-election next year as an alderman from the new 6th Ward under a ward redistricting and reduction plan that kicks in then.