St. Paul Mayor's Race Result Could Take Days

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Like Minneapolis, St. Paul voters are also using a ranked-choice ballot to decide the city's next mayor.

But because of the number of candidates, it could be a few days until we know who won.

In St. Paul, voters going into Holy Spirit Church can rank six choices for mayor. If there's no clear winner, officials will start counting ballots by hand beginning on Thursday morning.

Election officials say there has been a steady stream of people coming to vote since the doors opened at 7 a.m. This is largest polling place in St. Paul, and traditionally has a huge turnout. About 92 percent voted in the last presidential election.

On Tuesday, people are casting their vote for the next mayor of St. Paul. A few voters shared their thoughts on rank voting and waiting for the results.

"Rank choice voting, it makes our decision process more inclusive. I feel like we don't have a clear one or the other, we have a lot of great candidates in St. Paul," voter Meredith Leary Johnson said. "I personally have a favorite candidate, but knowing that they are going to carefully consider all the votes, it's kind of nice."

"You kind of like to get, you know, you stay up and wait and see so you kind of like to know sooner than that. I guess if that's the way it is, that's the way it is," voter Margie Trojan said.

The polls will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday. There will be a new mayor in St. Paul after Chris Coleman said he wouldn't seek re-election. He's preparing for the 2018 Governor's race.