Politics & Government

State Rep. Scott Sifton Running in New 93rd District

Redistricting put Sifton and Rep. Genise Montecillo in the same district, but they have resolved the overlap.

State Representative Scott Sifton, D-Affton currently of the 96th district, announced plans to run for re-election to the Missouri House of Representatives in the newly-drawn 93rd District. The new district includes the entirety of the Hancock Place School District, almost all of the Bayless School District, portions of the Affton and Mehlville School Districts and parts of the 11th and 12th wards in the City of St. Louis. 

"It is an honor serving the citizens of Lemay and Affton in the legislature," Sifton said. "I also hope to have the opportunity to serve the residents of the City of St. Louis who will now be in the same district as the Lemay and Affton constituents I already serve."

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New Map Puts Two Reps in One District

The announcement resolves a conflict created by the new legislative district map, which places Sifton's home in the same district as that of , D-Affton currently of the 66th district. In consultation with House Democratic leadership, Sifton and Montecillo—who sit next to each other on the House floor—quickly agreed to resolve the mapping conflict.

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Sifton will run in the 93rd district. Montecillo will run in the 92nd.

"This is at least the fifth instance I am aware of where a legislator of either party has announced plans to run in an adjacent district as a result of re-districting, and there will likely be several more," Sifton said. "The judges who drew the maps did not take legislators' addresses into account, and that's as it should be."

Sifton cited continuity of constituent services as the reason for the decision.

"Representative Montecillo and I agreed this made the most sense for our constituents," Sifton said.

"We both currently represent substantial portions of the 92nd District. But while I already serve the majority of the residents of the 93rd, none of the constituents in that district have Genise as their representative," he said. As Sifton and Montecillo were both newly elected in 2010, for him to run in the 92nd would guarantee more than 50,000 people would have three different representatives in just over two years. "People want to know who to call when they need help. Voters are certainly empowered to change representatives every election if they wish, but they should also have continuity in constituent services as an option when possible."

Sifton said he and his wife Stacey, who is expecting their second child at the end of April, are still weighing when to put their home on the market.

"We are not sure we want to take on a move and an addition to our family all at once," he said.

Sifton Set For 2012 Race

Sifton serves as the ranking Democratic member on the House International Trade and Job Creation Committee, where he works on economic development and jobs legislation. This year he sponsored legislation to protect pregnant women from having their insurance coverage canceled and to make it harder for the legislature to overturn laws adopted by voters. He also co-sponsored a Republican member's bill to provide property tax relief for senior citizens while protecting revenue for schools.

Before being elected to the House last year, Sifton served nine years on the Affton School Board, including two terms as board president. He works as a partner at the Husch Blackwell law firm.

After raising more than $85,000 in the 2010 election cycle, Sifton has already received more than $50,000 for re-election from approximately 300 donors. Endorsers include State Treasurer Clint Zweifel, House Democratic Leader Mike Talboy, former Lieutenant Governor Joe Maxwell, former State Representatives Pat Yaeger, Vicki Englund and Mike Vogt, and St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman.

To find more about your new districts, check out the state’s interactive map, complete with instructions.


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