Saura Jost prevails in Ward 3 City Council race

Saura Jost was elected to be the next City Council representative in St. Paul’s Ward 3, replacing long time incumbent Chris Tolbert.

Jost received almost 48.5% of the first choice votes in Ward 3 on election day, just shy of the 50% threshold for avoiding an instant runoff on ranked choice ballots. She received more than the roughly 200 votes needed when Ramsey County officials counted second choice votes over the weekend to surpass 50% of the vote.

“I’m ready to get to work, with my community and my Council colleagues, to improve our aging infrastructure, take bold steps for climate action and address our city’s need for safe and affordable housing’” Jost said in a statement on social media. 

Jost, a civil engineer, joins what will be the first all-female City Council in the next term. She is also the first female Councilmember from Ward 3.

She replaces longtime incumbent councilmember Christ Tolbert, who elected to not seek reelection this year. 

Jost ran on a platform of housing access, community engagement, childcare, infrastructure improvement and climate change.

Read more

See what Saura had to tell us about issues facing the West End communityreporter.org/saura-jost-2023 

Read Chris Tolbert’s final column as Ward 3 Councilmember communityreporter.org/thank-you-for-the-privilege-of-representing-you