Two weeks after being re-elected state representative for the 15th District, Sally Faith announced she will run for election as St. Charles mayor.

Faith said Monday she will challenge incumbent Patti York for the mayoral seat.

"My first priority was making sure that District 15 stayed Republican," Faith said. "Then I did something I've wanted to do for some time, run for mayor."

York previously announced she would seek her fourth term as mayor. She has served as mayor for 12 years.

Faith said she told York in July 2009 that she was considering running for mayor. The fourth-term legislator said the timing isn't perfect. If she had her preference, the mayoral race wouldn't occur for two more years when her term in the Missouri House is over, Faith said.

"Sometimes if you wait for the perfect timing, it doesn't happen," she said.

Faith received nearly 60 percent of the 15th District vote Nov. 2 in defeating Democratic challenger Paul Woody and Libertarian Bill Slantz, but term limits would prevent her from running for re-election to the House in 2012.

Faith, a former St. Charles County Council member, said she would not criticize York or her administration.

"I'm not going in that direction," she said. "I'm looking to the future, not the past."

There are other possible contenders besides York and Faith. St. Charles Councilman Dave Beckering, Ward 7, said he's considering entering the race. Larry Willis, Mark Dake and Randal Byrne all picked up candidate filing packets and announced their candidacy.

The filing period for the mayoral election began Tuesday and will end Nov. 23. Candidates must submit signatures from at least 100 registered voters in in the city by the deadline. A lottery will determine the ballot order.

If more than two candidates are certified, then the city would have a mayoral primary Feb. 8. The top two vote-getters would square off in the April 5 election.