By Terry Hollahan
Primary Elections
are May 3
Four incumbents seeking re-election will retain their seats in Shelby County government the easy way – without opposition – including County Commissioner Michael “Mick” Wright, who represents Bartlett, Lakeland and Raleigh.
No Democratic candidates qualified to run for Wright’s District 3 seat and a potential Republican challenger in the May 3 primary, Barry Clark, did not submit a qualifying petition with the Shelby County Election Commission by the noon deadline on Feb. 17.
Floyd Bonner Jr. will remain Shelby County’s sheriff for another four years. No Republicans qualified in the May 3 primary for sheriff and Bonner’s potential challenger in the Democratic primary, Keisha Scott of Bartlett, had her petition approved to run, but it was withdrawn.
County Commissioner Mickell Lowery will serve another four years in his District 8 seat that covers parts of Frayser, Downtown Memphis, South Memphis and Central Gardens. The Democratic incumbent will not be challenged in the primary and no Republicans qualified to run.
And incumbent David Bradford will serve another term on the County Commission District 2, which covers Collierville and unincorporated areas of Shelby County.
Bradford has no opposition in the Republican primary for District 2. A Democratic contender for the seat, Lynnette Williams, 497 Grace Cove, of Collierville, was found ineligible to qualify per the Registry of Election Finance.
Candidates line up for mayor, D.A.
But there will be plenty of intrigue in the contested primary elections on May 3, which will see a three-man battle for the Democratic nominee for county mayor.
Lee Harris is running for re-election and will face primary challengers Kenneth Moody, who is special assistant to Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, and Michael Banks, 3595 Graceland Drive, Memphis 38116.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Worth Morgan in the county general election on Aug. 4. Morgan, who was first elected to the Memphis City Council in 2016 and is serving his second term, is unopposed in the Republican primary for county mayor.
And three other Democrats will be looking to unseat District Attorney General Amy Weirich, who is running unopposed for re-election in the Republican primary.
Linda Harris, 6573 Woodstock Cuba Road, Millington; Steven Mulroy, 1035 Perkins Terrace, Memphis; and Janika White, 435 S. Front St., Apt. 403, Memphis, will battle in the Democratic primary for the right to face Weirich for attorney general, District 30, in the general election Aug. 4.
Linda Harris is a seasoned attorney and independent arbitrator in private practice who worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of Tennessee for many years.
Mulroy, Bredesen Professor
of Law at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, is a former civil rights lawyer for the U.S. Justice Department and former federal prosecutor.
White is an attorney at Bailey, Bailey & White PLLC and former attorney for the Walter Bailey Law Firm.
Weirich has been Shelby County’s district attorney – and the first woman to hold that office – since January 2011 when she was appointed by then-Gov. Bill Haslam. She was elected in 2012 to serve the remaining two years of her predecessor, Bill Gibbons’ term, and then re-elected to a full eight-year term in August 2014.
All candidates have until Thursday, Feb. 24, to withdraw. Early voting starts Wednesday, April 13, and runs through April 28.
The voter registration deadline is Monday, April 4, and April 26 is the last day to request an absentee ballot.
Below is a full lineup of the primary elections on May 3.
Assessor of Property
Democratic Primary
Incumbent Melvin Burgess, will face
Roderick Blount,
3206 Alta, Memphis.
Republican Primary
Stephen Cross,
9200 Delashmit Road, Millington.
Circuit Court Clerk
Democratic Primary
Incumbent Temiika Gipson, will face Memphis City
Council member Jamita E. Swearengen, whose second term on the council ends in 2023.
Republican Primary
Soheila Kail,
2264 W. Glenalden Drive, Germantown.
County Clerk
Democratic Primary
Incumbent Wanda Halbert, will face
Arriell Gipson,
496 Tennessee St., Apt. 141, Memphis;
Mondell Williams,
2101 Blakewood Place, Memphis; and
William Stovall,
2052 E. Almadale Court, #101, Collierville.
Republican Primary
Jeffrey Jacobs,
7013 Foxfield Cove, Bartlett.
County Commission,
District 1
Donna McDonald-Martin,
7031 Debra Cove E., Memphis,
will have no challenger in the Democratic primary. She will face incumbent Amber Mills of Arlington, who has no opponent in the Republican primary, in the Aug. 4 general election.
County Commission,
District 2
Democratic Primary
Lynnette Williams,
497 Grace Cove, Collierville,
was found ineligible to qualify per the Registry of Election Finance.
Republican Primary
Incumbent David Bradford,
1736 S. Crossberry Cove, Collierville, 38017
County Commission,
District 3
Democratic Primary
None
Republican Primary
Incumbent Michael “Mick” Wright,
5730 Bartlett Woods Drive, Bartlett 38134.
County Commission,
District 4
Democratic Primary
Britney Chauncey,
2571 Mackinnon Drive, Memphis, 38119.
Republican Primary
Jordan Carpenter,
1257 Wesleyan Place, Memphis 38119; and
Brandon Morrison,
196 Cherry Circle West, Memphis 38117.
County Commission,
District 5
Democratic Primary
Quran Folsom,
1567 Farkleberry Drive, Cordova, 38016;
Shante Knox-Avant,
8570 Lurry Lane, Cordova, 38016; and
Reginald French,
81 Beaver Valley Cove N., Cordova, 38018.
Republican Primary
Michael Payne,
8907 Timber Trail Cove, Cordova, 38018
County Commission,
District 6
Democratic Primary
Charlie Caswell Jr.,
3558 Partridge Cove Memphis TN 38128, and
Alexander Boulton,
3623 Chantrey W., Apt. 1 Memphis TN 38128.
Incumbent Willie F. Brooks Jr. is term-limited.
Republican Primary
None
County Commission,
District 7
Democratic Primary
Henri Brooks,
1550 N. Parkway, Apt. 1010 Memphis TN 38112;
Cartavius Black,
1527 Tutwiler Ave., Memphis, 38107;
Althea Greene,
2138 Albany Ave., Memphis, 38108; and
Kathy Temple,
1536 Tayner St., Memphis 38108.
Republican Primary
None
County Commission,
District 8
Democratic Primary
Incumbent Mickell Lowery,
761 Harbor Isle Circle E., Memphis TN 38103.
Republican Primary
None
County Commission,
District 9
Democratic Primary
Sam Echols IV,
934 W. Raines Road, Memphis, 38109;
Sean Harris,
5147 Vickie Drive, Memphis, 38109; and
incumbent Edmund Ford Jr.,
917 Summer Shade Lane, Memphis, 38116.
Republican Primary
None
County Commission,
District 10
Democratic Primary
Britney Thornton,
1521 Cella St., Memphis, 38114;
Kathy Kirk, 1245 Semmes St., Memphis, 38111; and
Teri Dockery,
1527 Westlawn Drive, Memphis 38114.
Incumbent Reginald Milton is term-limited.
Republican Primary
None
County Commission,
District 11
Democratic Primary
Eric Winston,
2921 Meadowfair Road, Memphis 38118;
Candice Jones,
3252 Nora Lee Lane, Memphis 38118; and
Miska Clay Bibbs,
3639 Tulip Tree Cove, Memphis 38115.
Incumbent Eddie Jones Jr. is term-limited.
Republican Primary
None
County Commission,
District 12
Democratic Primary
Reginald Boyce,
7610 Bridelwreath Drive, Memphis 38125;
Erika Sugarmon,
3089 Cotton Plant Road, Memphis 38119;
David Walker,
7571 Callis Creek Drive, Memphis 38119;
and James Bacchus,
7632 Sandy Brook Cove, Memphis 38125.
Republican Primary
None
County Commission,
District 13
Democratic Primary
Incumbent Michael Whaley,
103 Eastland Drive Memphis 38111.
Republican Primary
Edward Apple,
3025 Gardens Way, Memphis 38111
County Mayor
Democratic Primary
Kenneth Moody,
7352 Red River Cove, Memphis 38125;
incumbent Lee Harris,
1456 Carr Ave., Memphis 38104 ; and
Michael Banks,
3595 Graceland Drive, Memphis 38116
Republican Primary
Worth Morgan,
487 Goodwyn St., Memphis 38111
County Trustee
Democratic Primary
Incumbent Regina Newman
532 S. Rembert St. Memphis 38104;
Roderic Ford,
1291 Ryanwood Ave., Memphis 38116; and
Marion Alexandria-Williams,
3693 Hermitage Drive, Memphis 38116.
Republican Primary
Steve Basar,
5896 Garden Reach Cove, Memphis 38120.
Criminal Court Clerk
Democratic Primary
Incumbent Heidi Kuhn,
391 S. Forest Hill Irene Road, Cordova 38018;
Maerne Bernard,
3388 Emerald St., Memphis 38115; and
Carla Stotts,
773 Southern Home Road, Collierville 38017.
Republican Primary
Paul Houston,
7714 Deer Trail Lane, Memphis 38133.
District Attorney General District 30
Democratic Primary
Linda Harris,
6573 Woodstock Cuba Road, Millington 38053;
Steven Mulroy,
1035 Perkins Terrace, Memphis 38117; and
Janika White,
435 S. Front St., Apt. 403, Memphis 38103.
Republican Primary
Incumbent Amy Weirich,
4144 Minden Road, Memphis 38117
Juvenile Court Clerk
Democratic Primary
Stephanie Gatewood,
2900 Curtis St., Memphis 38118;
Janeen Gordon,
1810 Foster Ave., Memphis 38114;
Marcus Mitchell,
8932 Fern Valley Cove, Cordova 38018; and
Reginald Milton,
1534 Marjorie St., Memphis 38106.
Republican Primary
Primary
Rob White,
9 N. Second St., Apt. 1409, Memphis 38103.
Probate Court Clerk
Democratic Primary
William Chism Jr.,
3620 Hazelhedge Drive, Memphis 38116;
Bill Morrison,
3524 Endahwin Cove, Millington 38053; and
Eddie Jones,
5024 Darlington Drive, Memphis 38118.
Republican Primary
DeWayne Jackson,
1280 Harbert Ave., #8, Memphis 38104.
Register of Deeds
Democratic Primary
Incumbent Shelandra Ford,
1297 Belfair Drive, Collierville 38017;
Willie Brooks Jr.,
3407 Hocker Hedge Cove, Memphis 38128; and
Wanda Faulkner,
3420 McCorkle Road, Memphis 38116.
Republican Primary
Bryan Edmiston,
4822 Valley Birch Drive, Arlington 38002.
Shelby County Sheriff
Democratic Primary
Incumbent Floyd Bonner Jr.,
3462 Maude Cove, Bartlett 38133;
**Keisha Scott,
6155 Christina Wood Drive Bartlett 38135,
had her petition approved to run, but she withdrew it.
Republican Primary
None
