St. Louis County voters head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, to choose a new county executive, with a projected $65 million budget deficit hanging over whoever wins.

Three candidates are on the ballot: Democrat Jake Zimmerman, the county assessor; Republican Dennis Hancock, a 3rd District county councilman from Fenton; and Green Party candidate J.D. McFarland. County Executive Sam Page is not seeking reelection, according to the Call Newspapers, leaving the seat open for the first time in years.

What's at stake

The county's financial picture dominates this race. Reserves used to close years of deficits are close to running out, and federal money that sustained the county through the COVID-19 pandemic is gone. Page's proposed 2027 budget carries a $65 million deficit without new revenue or one-time funds, even after eliminating 139 positions, St. Louis Public Radio reported. The county has already cut hours at its headquarters and satellite offices.

"Let's say it clearly: The county, on its current trajectory, is on a path to bankruptcy," Zimmerman said during a joint appearance on St. Louis Public Radio.

The two leading candidates split sharply on taxes. Zimmerman said the next county executive would need to build trust with voters before asking them to approve tax increases. He pointed to an online-purchases tax as a potential revenue source. Hancock opposes raising taxes.

"St. Louis County has a spending problem," Hancock told St. Louis Public Radio. "When you look at our revenues, they increase by at least the rate of inflation year over year, but our spending goes up at a faster rate."

The candidates

Zimmerman has served as county assessor since 2011 and previously represented Missouri's 83rd District as a state representative. He won a competitive three-way Democratic primary in August. According to St. Louis Magazine, Zimmerman has raised $1.1 million for the general election.

Hancock served as mayor of Fenton from 2001 to 2013 before winning his County Council seat in November 2022. He would be the first Republican county executive since Gene McNary, last elected in 1986. Hancock has raised roughly a tenth of Zimmerman's total, including a $50,000 personal loan to his campaign, according to St. Louis Magazine.

Both candidates have pledged a more civil relationship between the executive and legislative branches, a contrast with Page's tenure. FOX 2 described the race as notably free of mudslinging.

Little public information is available about McFarland, the Green Party candidate.

How to vote and track results

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Voters in line when polls close are still entitled to cast a ballot. St. Louis County voters can vote at any polling place in the county.

Unofficial results will be posted on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch election results page as returns come in Tuesday night.