By Bill Raack, KWMU
St. Louis – Democrats in the city of St. Louis will elect their party's candidate for mayor Tuesday.
There are three names on the ballot - incumbent Francis Slay, Former Alderwoman Irene J. Smith and attorney Denise Watson-Wesley Coleman.
Slay said his record over two terms is strong, although he has been criticized by some in the African-American community for how he handled the firing of Fire Chief Sherman George.
"To try to characterize me and my administration based on one decision, there are going to be some out there that do that but I think most people - although nobody agrees with everything I've done - I think most people look back and see the city's better off than it was eight years ago," Slay said.
Former Alderwoman Irene J. Smith has run for mayor before, unsuccessfully. But she says it's time for a change.
"We have a tremendous racial divide in this country that I believe it is part of the responsibility of the chief executive of this city, that would be the mayor, to address it upon taking office," Smith said.
Political newcomer Denise Watson-Wesley Coleman is also on the ballot.
"I actually was going to run for office back in 1993," Coleman said. "I had been asked to run for office in 1989 for the board of education and I've also been asked to run for office a couple of times after that. I just did not do it."
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Green Party, Libertarian Party and independent candidates in April's general election. There are no Republicans on the mayoral ballot.