St. Charles County voters nominated incumbent Steve Ehlmann for a sixth term as county executive in the Republican primary on August 4, capturing 50.4% of the vote across the three-way race. Ehlmann secured 24,384 votes, defeating former state Senator Bill Eigel, who received 30.9%, and former Lake St. Louis Mayor Jason Law, who garnered 17.2% of the vote.
The victory marks a significant moment for Ehlmann, who had initially announced plans to retire after roughly 20 years in office. He reversed course earlier this year, declaring his candidacy specifically to block Eigel’s path to the county’s top job.
Ehlmann, first elected county executive in 2006, is a former state lawmaker and judge who previously served in the Missouri House and Senate. In interviews leading up to the primary, he expressed concern about Eigel’s vision for the office, arguing that the county executive has limited power over municipalities and cannot act as a “dictator,” as he put it during a July debate.
The central dispute in the race centered on growth, taxes, and the county executive’s actual authority. Eigel had campaigned on eliminating the personal property tax and using county leverage to restrict apartment construction, positions Ehlmann and Law both criticized as either unconstitutional or beyond the office’s reach. Ehlmann emphasized that municipalities, not the county executive, control development within their borders.
Ehlmann also highlighted his record on keeping taxes low and fostering what he called responsible development over his two decades in office. He argued that regional cooperation on crime prevention was essential to protecting St. Charles County’s growth, noting that the county’s future depends partly on St. Louis’s success in reducing crime and attracting residents.
The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat David Veneziano in the November 3 general election. Veneziano is the first Democrat to run for the county executive post in recent years, according to reporting on the race. He has advocated for term limits on the county executive position, citing Ehlmann’s 20-year tenure as evidence that fresh leadership is needed.
Ehlmann has committed to serving out a full term if re-elected, with his term set to expire at the end of 2030. The general election in November will determine whether Republicans retain control of the county executive’s office or whether Veneziano can break the GOP’s hold on the position.
Sources
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch / STLtoday.com — official primary election results showing Ehlmann’s 50.4% vote share and final vote totals
- St. Louis Public Radio — Ehlmann’s rationale for reversing retirement, his background as former state lawmaker and judge, and debate coverage on county executive authority and growth policy
- Ballotpedia — confirmation of David Veneziano as Democratic candidate for the general election
