The 1998 St. Louis County Executive election took place on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democratic County Executive Buzz Westfall ran for re-election to a third term. Though local Republicans attempted to recruit a well-known challenger to Westfall, he faced minimal opposition. He won the Democratic primary and then was opposed by Republican Joe Passanise, a retired county engineer, in the general election. Westfall defeated Passanise in a landslide, winning his third term with 61 percent of the vote.