Republican incumbent Mark Harder has defeated Democratic challenger John Kiehne to keep his seat on the St. Louis County Council.
According to complete, but unofficial results reported by the St. Louis County Board of Elections, Harder received 33,590 votes, or 51.37 percent of the vote, to Kiehne’s 31,798 votes, or 48.63 percent of the vote.
Harder, 66, of Ballwin, is a real estate broker with RE/MAX Results. Harder has held the District 7 seat on the St. Louis County Council since 2015, having been re-elected in 2018 and 2022.
Harder said he’s ready to get to work in his district, implementing plans and projects he’s worked on for the last 12 years.
“We worked hard putting this together to beat the blue wave that’s out there,” Harder said. “It’s a testament to the people who know me well in the district, and I enjoy and love serving them.”
District 7 includes the Eureka, Wildwood, Chesterfield, Ellisville, Ballwin and Clarkson Valley communities, along with the St. Louis County portion of Pacific.
Council members earn an annual salary of $40,000 and serve four-year terms.
One priority Harder shared was the groundbreaking for a regional police academy that will be built in Chesterfield. He said construction is expected to begin on the facility in 2027.
The Gateway Regional Law Enforcement Training Center Commission, a partnership of St. Charles, St. Louis and Franklin counties, is overseeing the construction of the academy. The facility will have a secured driving track, shooting range and simulated training rooms.
Harder added that there are several road projects in District 7 that are top of mind for him, along with getting the county’s budget under control.