Democrat John Kiehne and Republican Mark Harder are facing off for the St. Louis County Council District 7 seat in the Nov. 3 general election.
Harder, the incumbent, has held the seat since 2015, having been re-elected in 2018 and 2022.
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.
Kiehne, 59, of Eureka is a professional musician, recording artist, producer and instructor. He studied music at the University of Missouri in St. Louis and Webster University. He housed, protected and advocated for victims of domestic violence and neglect as a foster provider and legal guardian for nearly 20 years. From 2018-2020, he served as vice chairman of the 3rd Congressional District Democratic Committee. From 2019-2021, he was a Boles Township Democratic committeeman and a board member for Heartland Independent Living Center in Owensville. From 2020-2021, he was treasurer for the Franklin County Democratic Central Committee. From 2022-2025, he was state committeeman representing Senate District 26 for the Missouri Democratic Party State Committee. From 2024-2025, he was the Democratic committeeman for the 88th legislative district and represented Meramec Township on the St. Louis County Democratic Central Committee. He is married to Michelle and has six children and two grandchildren.
Harder, 66, of Ballwin is a real estate broker with RE/MAX Results and the current St. Louis County Councilman for District 7. He has also held middle-management positions at various Fortune 500 companies in the region. He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and political science from the University of Missouri in St. Louis. He is a graduate of the FBI Citizens Academy. He was an alderman for the city of Ballwin for three years and has served on the County Council for 12 years as vice chairman. He is an elected board member of the Municipal League of St. Louis and an executive board member of Progress 64 West. He is a member of the West County and Chesterfield chambers of commerce. He is married to Kathy and has two sons and five grandchildren.
Why should voters elect you, and what are your goals if elected?
Kiehne: As someone with 40-plus years of experience managing small businesses, who also has broad experience working in the restaurant and bar industry as well as interfacing with a wide variety of public, private and non-profit entities as a foster provider, legal guardian and advocate, I’m committed to understanding and working to improve public policy in order to improve the lives of St. Louis County residents. I will also work to effectively collaborate with other council members, the county executive and local leaders in order to identify challenges, and create and implement effective solutions. If elected, I will act as a devoted public servant who will work diligently to best represent the needs and concerns of District 7 residents while helping to make St. Louis County, and the St. Louis region, a better place to live, work and play for everyone.
Harder: Voters should elect me for my proven track record of delivering results, such as passing the Senior Property Tax Freeze, fighting back against unnecessary COVID mandates, and supporting veterans and economic development. My goals include enhancing public safety, improving educational opportunities and fostering economic growth through fiscal responsibility. I championed the new regional police academy. I have also built many political bridges within the council and the community to accomplish goals for the residents of the district as a whole. I have delivered many public works projects to the district including Baxter Road, Chesterfield Parkway and, coming soon, Sulfur Springs Road, Kieffer Creek and Clayton Road overlay in 2027-2028. I am committed to serving with integrity and dedication to ensure a prosperous future for District 7. I have been endorsed by all local and state police organizations and many local mayors and board members.
If St. Louis County seeks to grow, what are the best opportunities for achieving it?
Kiehne: The St. Louis County government needs to first and foremost seriously address the fiscal and operational challenges that continue to erode the trust of St. Louis County residents. St. Louis County’s obligation to provide core services to St. Louis County residents and businesses while operating effectively, efficiently and within a budget must be a priority for the members of the County Council and the executive. We must build on our strengths while addressing our challenges, as St. Louis County and the St. Louis region are a regional hub for commerce, higher education, entertainment and tourism. With better and more broad-ranging regional coordination, St. Louis County has the potential to reverse decades of stagnation and rebrand and revitalize our communities in order to compete in the 21st-century world.
Harder: One of the greatest threats to St. Louis County compared to surrounding counties is affordability. We need to be more friendly to residential development, so homes that the average resident can afford can be built as a priority. Government at all levels adds unnecessary cost to homeownership and our lifestyles. We need to reduce these regulation costs to make our lives more affordable. We also need to focus on encouraging students to enter the trades at all skill levels. We have a huge shortage of skilled trade workers, which is driving up costs and reducing the opportunities for projects to be completed in the region. Schools need to do a better job identifying students to enter the workforce in all trades. We need to create more taxpayers, not more taxes. We must make some very hard financial decisions in the future. My 12 years of common-sense experience is critical to the decision-making process.
What is the biggest threat to the quality of life in St. Louis County?
Kiehne: Public safety, affordability, managing development and failing to deliver on core services are what I see as the biggest threats to the quality of life for St. Louis County residents related to St. Louis County government obligations. Addressing public safety threats from petty to violent crime must be a priority, and a critical component of those challenges is not only policing and prosecuting criminals but crime prevention as well. While commercial and residential development can contribute to St. Louis County’s capacity to provide employment, opportunity and housing, there must be a balance that honors the needs and concerns of residents impacted by development as well. St. Louis County residents are seeing ever-increasing household costs from gas to groceries to utilities, and local taxation must be adequate to provide quality services while not bankrupting taxpayers in the process. When St. Louis County starts operating more efficiently and effectively, we’ll all benefit.
Harder: The greatest threat we have to the future of St. Louis region is the declining population and aging population. This is creating a shrinking tax base and workforce. County government also has to be right-sized from the inside out to reduce costs and realign priorities for 2026 and beyond. We have to live within our means and only fund the priorities that benefit the most residents; hopefully not having to raise taxes to accomplish this goal is a huge balancing act. Another threat is the financial solvency of county governments. Hard decisions are being made every day to set new priorities for funding and spending opportunities. We have made great progress, but we can’t let up on the momentum we have achieved. Experience matters more than ever.
