Elections
Ready. Set. Vote.
Early voting ahead of the May 5 election day in Shelby County begins Wednesday, April 15, at 26 locations across the county. Here’s everything you need to know about the start of the first election of 2026.
Bill Dries
Reporter
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for almost 50 years covering a wide variety of stories from the 1977 death of Elvis Presley and the 1978 police and fire strikes to numerous political campaigns, every county mayor and every Memphis Mayor starting with Wyeth Chandler.
There are 4390 articles by Bill Dries :
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April 2026
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2026 elections
Elections -
Shelby County County Commission fails to fund MSCS takeover lawsuit
A procedural vote Monday, April 27, killed a maneuver to fund a legal challenge by Memphis-Shelby County Schools to the state’s takeover of the school system. But there could be a second try.
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Update
City of MemphisNo Kings questions appear, then disappear from City Council agenda
As a march of more than 1,000 people Downtown was winding down, police pepper-sprayed and tackled individuals at the rear of the crowd. Some council members wanted to discuss that in Tuesday, April 28, committees but the items were taken off the agenda.
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Shelby County County Commission fills a board vacancy, approves a Downtown board appointment
The Shelby County Commission welcomed a new member to the group that determines defendants’ bail and other conditions for release and also approved emergency Sheriff’s Office funding.
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2026 elections
ElectionsClerks, the trustee and the register: The other races on the 2026 county primary ballot
Here is an overview of seven races on the May ballot that aren’t getting as much attention as the races for county mayor, Shelby County Board of Commissioners and county clerk.
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2026 elections
ElectionsDemocratic mayoral candidates on MSCS lawsuit, Task Force, jail
With Election Day around the corner, it was a busy week in Shelby County. Mayoral contenders hit forums across the area to talk with voters one-on-one. Meanwhile, early voting turnout is higher than the pivotal 2018 County primaries.
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Shelby County County Commission could discuss funding a challenge of MSCS takeover
Over the weekend, two Shelby County officials talked about the possibility of commissioners considering taking legal action to stop the school district takeover.
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Spirit of Memphis Mason Temple renovation marks latest chapter for civil rights landmark
The 81-year-old Mason Temple is getting a renovation, the latest in a series for the landmark that has a dramatic history as the place where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final speech the night before he was assassinated.
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Shelby County County government could fund legal challenge of MSCS state takeover
Two contenders in the Democratic primary for Shelby County Mayor, Mickell Lowery and Harold Collins, each said private talks could surface to get around a state law that prevents school boards from using public money to fight a school system takeover by the state.
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2026 Elections
ElectionsDemocratic primary race for county clerk is biggest field on May 5 ballot
Here is your guide to who is running in the May Democratic primary to succeed Wanda Halbert as County Clerk.
Related content:
All 11 candidates in the Democratic primary for County Clerk
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Shelby County Longtime state rep G.A. Hardaway dies
G.A. Hardaway, a longtime public servant and state representative, died Friday, April 24.
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2026 elections
ElectionsWhy are some Shelby County voters marked ‘inactive’ ahead of elections?
The status of inactive voters comes up regularly during an election year, but inactive status does not mean the voter is ineligible to vote.
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2026 elections
ElectionsFeagins tells mayoral forum she does not favor school-takeover legislation
Marie Feagins commented on the Memphis-Shelby County Schools takeover law at a forum for Democratic contenders for Shelby County mayor among suburban chamber of commerce leaders in East Memphis.
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2026 elections
ElectionsCounty primary early voter turnout so far cracks 10K
Early voter turnout through the first four days of the period that ends April 30 is higher than it was at the same point in 2018.
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City of Memphis No city property-tax hike, says Mayor Paul Young
Young is prepping to present his budget proposal, meanwhile he’s already talking about the bottom line. Also in this roundup: Marsha Blackburn on climate change and Democrats vow statewide organization.
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2026 Elections
ElectionsA guide to the 13 races for Shelby County Commission
Here is everything you need to know about the 13 Shelby County Commission races on the May 5 ballot.
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2026 elections
ElectionsMore than 3,400 show up for first day of early voting
Most of the opening day voters were Democrats, whose ballot boasts a race with the largest field of candidates.
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Elections
ElectionsAll 11 candidates in the Democratic primary for County Clerk
Here are brief bios of the 11 candidates in the May 5 Democratic primary for County Clerk. The winner meets Republican nominee Tina Montgomery in the August county general election.
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City of Memphis City Council wants answers on ‘No Kings’ march violence
Two Memphis City Council members want police brass to answer questions about the police response to the March 28 march.
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2026 Elections
ElectionsDemocrats and Republicans strategize ahead of May county primaries
Leaders of the local Republican and Democratic parties talked about the May Shelby County primary elections on “Behind The Headlines.”
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2026 elections
ElectionsHarris backs Collins, a win for citizen journalism and Lowery weighs in on LeBron
In this week’s political roundup: Harris backs Collins, Memphis loses a public records case, Lowery weighs in on LeBron, and Green talks medical debt and executive orders.
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2026 elections
ElectionsThe Democratic primary race for Shelby County mayor
Here’s an overview of the Democratic primary race for county mayor, the seven candidates and their interaction with each other as well as the shadow of the outgoing mayor on the race.
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2026 Elections
ElectionsJohn DeBerry runs on mayoral platform that Shelby County ‘is not an island’
The former Democratic state representative is running in the May Republican primary for Shelby County mayor. “I intend to win this race,” he said.
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Shelby County County Commission takes small step toward new or renovated jail
Monday’s resolution could eventually result in a list of basic questions and cost options — but it probably won’t be until a new county mayor and commission take office.
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2026 elections
ElectionsHere’s who made the Shelby County primary ballot
A total of 121 candidates made the deadline to file their qualifying petitions with the Shelby County Election Commission.
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