Approximately 15 percent of registered voters came to the polls from Maplewood Ward 3 for Tuesday’s special election to fill the ward’s vacant city council seat.
Maplewood pays the St. Louis County Board of Elections to conduct elections. Board director Eric Fey told 40 South the city will be billed approximately $4,000 for Tuesday’s election.
According to an election official there are 2,073 registered voters in the ward; 313 votes were cast. Winner Jenny Schmidt received 163 votes; Kristen Spencer, 105; and Steve Terelmes, 42.
Compared to the April 2016 city council election, Barry Greenberg won in Ward 3 with 401 total votes. In April 2017 Shawn Faulkingham won with 455.
In the November 2016 presidential election there were 1471 ballots cast. That was approximately a 75 percent turnout.
I lived overseas in a country where elections had never been held. The year I lived there was the first time elections were held for the presidency of the newly organized country. It was amazing to see the enthusiasm for the voting process. I feel that way here, in my own country now; but the first time I felt that way was overseas.