ST. LOUIS — Monday was the first day candidates could file to enter the St. Louis mayoral race, but COVID-19 has delayed one candidate's plans.
Dana Kelly said she is in quarantine after being diagnosed with pneumonia and COVID-19 earlier this month.
"My team has collected voter signatures and prior to my diagnosis, I was expecting to file this morning," Kelly said in a statement. "However, out of an abundance of caution regarding my own health and not wanting to put others at risk, I will stay in quarantine as suggested by medical personnel and file immediately once it’s safe to do so."
Board of Alderman President Lewis Reed announced over the weekend that he will run for mayor; he is scheduled to file Monday afternoon.
Treasurer Tishaura Jones announced her candidacy the day after voters approved Prop D.
Cara Spencer, who represents the city's 20th Ward announced her candidacy at the beginning of the year. She filed Monday afternoon.
St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson announced last week that she will not seek reelection after serving one term.
City voters passed Prop D, which will do away with the partisan primary system in heavily Democratic St. Louis city.
Proposition D will establish non-partisan elections — often referred to as approval voting — for the offices of mayor, comptroller, the board of alderman president and the board of aldermen.
Under the system, candidates from all parties would appear together on the primary ballot, and voters could vote for as many candidates on the ballot as they want regardless of party. The top two candidates from the primary would face each other in the general election, regardless of their political party.
