ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Voters will decide a variety of issues in this midterm election. Republicans and Democrats are vying to control congress and the senate. Races for Illinois governor and US Senate from Missouri have been in the national spotlight. The Show-Me-State could make recreational marijuana legal.
Turnout in St. Louis County appears to be on track for the strongest of any election since the Nov. 2020 presidential races. It remains to be seen where it finishes among recent midterms.
The polls close at 7:00 p.m. tonight. FOX 2 will be streaming our live coverage in this story. Results will be posted here as soon as they start coming in. Download our apps for alerts and sign up for our newsletters for results in your inbox.
The rules around how and when you can vote recently changed in Missouri. Voters will now need to bring a valid ID to cast a ballot. They have also been able to vote for two weeks before November 8, 2022. Long lines have been spotted at polling places in St. Louis County. It still isn’t clear how these changes will affect voter turnout.
Senate Race
In March 2021, Senator Blunt announced he would not seek re-election. Many Republicans, including former Governor Eric Greitens, ran in the primary. Former President Trump even endorsed “Eric.” Ultimately, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt won the primary. He is facing Democratic nominee Trudy Busch Valentine. The Busch family heiress is wading into politics and seeking public office for the first time.
Missouri Amendments
In Missouri, voters are being asked five questions towards the end of their ballot. They will decide Amendments 1, 3, 4 and 5 along with a constitutional convention question.
Three of those amendments were added by the General Assembly after the legislation was passed earlier this year. Amendment 3 was added by the Legal Missouri 22 campaign after getting enough signatures to put the initiative petition on the ballot. This referendum asks voters if recreational marijuana should be legal for those 21 and older.
Illinois Governor’s Race
Will the poll numbers match what happens on election day? Democratic incumbent Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is polling 22 points ahead of Republican challenger Darren Bailey in Illinois’ gubernatorial race. State finances, taxes and spending are bigger issues in this poll than crime, although the difference is only 1.9%. Jobs and the economy came in as the third-most important issue, checking in 2.6% behind crime.
St. Louis County Executive
Voters in St. Louis County will decide who will lead the diverse and dynamic area. The choice is between incumbent St. Louis County Executive Sam Page and Republican challenger Mark Mantovani. The candidates recently participated in a debate on FOX 2 to discuss the issues facing St. Louis County. You can see their responses to your questions here.
Mantovani’s campaign website touts his goal of rooting out corruption and ending, “…the pay-to-play, backroom deals, that are currently ruining our county government. While Page is touting his experience navigating St. Louis County through the COVID-19 pandemic and criminal justice reforms.
St. Louis Board of Aldermen President
There is also a struggle to see who will be the next St. Louis Board of Aldermen President. Jack Coatar and Megan Green are running for the job. Coatar and Green represent the seventh and 15th wards. The board is seeking a replacement for Lewis Reed after he resigned amid a corruption scandal.
Election results
FOX 2 will be covering these and nearly 200 other local races. Make sure to tune into FOX 2 on election night. You can also watch live-streaming coverage on this website. Download the FOX 2 app for alerts and sign up for our newsletters to get breaking news or a rundown of everything that happened the next day.