Two candidates vie for District 4 council seat that each sees as their own
Incumbent Jana Swearengen-Washington (left) is seeking reelection to the seat she won in a special election last year. Teri Dockery (right) — who was appointed and briefly held the seat when Swearengen-Washington’s sister, Jamita Swearengen, resigned last year — is also seeking a return to the City Council. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
In the coming days, The Daily Memphian will be previewing each of the City Council races on the Oct. 5 ballot. The stories are being made available to all readers.
Two women, one a current member of the Memphis City Council and the other a former member, are vying for the District 4 seat.
Incumbent Jana Swearengen-Washington is seeking reelection to the seat she won in a special election last year. Teri Dockery — who was appointed and briefly held the seat when Swearengen-Washington’s sister, Jamita Swearengen, resigned last year — is also seeking a return to the City Council.
Neither Dockery nor Swearengen-Washington responded to attempts for comment about the race.
Since her election last year, Swearengen-Washington — an assistant principal in Forrest City, Arkansas — has been a quiet member of the body. She’s been particularly focused on Orange Mound, which composes much of her district.
Dockery, a corporate recruiter, was on the council for about two months before Swearengen-Washington replaced her. According to reports, she ruffled some feathers with her treatment of staff, which led Council Chairman Martavius Jones to reprimand her.
Earlier this year, a Dockery event at a Memphis police precinct was canceled when Memphis City Council Vice Chairman JB Smiley Jr. raised concerns that it would represent campaigning on city property.
Topics
Jana Swearengen-Washington Teri Dockery Memphis City CouncilSamuel Hardiman
Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise and investigative reporter who focuses on local government and politics. A native Rhode Islander who lives in Midtown, he enjoys tennis, golf and reading.
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