ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (KTVI) — Ferguson elected its first female and first African American mayor Tuesday night.
Ella Jones defeated Heather Robinett, both councilmembers, taking 53% to 46% of the vote in an election that had been delayed about two months by COVID-19.
About 1,000 people who usually volunteer to be election workers declined because of the disease, and election officials lowered the number of polling places from 360 to 160 in St. Louis County.
Jones’ election comes nearly six years after the death of Michael Brown, a black teenager shot and killed by a white police officer.
His death prompted protests in Ferguson similar to recent protests over the death of George Floyd, who was killed after a Minnesota police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.
