The Daily Memphian invited the top Memphis mayoral contenders to tell us more about themselves and their candidacy in their own words.

Campaigns are anticipating a voter turnout of around 100,000 voters when all of the votes are counted Oct. 5. Some candidates believe one of them could win the mayors race with as few as 25,000 votes. 

Memphis Mayoral contender J.W. Gibson is the latest in the race to challenger Floyd Bonner Jr. on recent deaths at the Shelby County Jail during Bonner’s tenure as sheriff.

The Greater Memphis Chamber forum drew six of the seven major contenders for mayor.

With a final ballot review conducted Wednesday night, Aug. 16, officials confirmed that Kimberly Remak maintained enough votes to avoid a runoff in the Republican Primary for the District 7 state House seat. 

State Rep. Karen Camper, businessman J.W. Gibson, Memphis-Shelby County Schools board member Michelle McKissack, Van Turner and Downtown Memphis Commission CEO Paul Young participated in the debate.

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Watch The Daily Memphian, WKNO Memphis mayoral debate

The two mayoral candidates purchased homes within Memphis in the months before a ruling cleared the way for them to run for mayor despite a five-year residency requirement.

Mayoral contender Paul Young took the convention’s endorsement Saturday, Aug. 12, but rival Van Turner delivered a fiery speech and both called for changing the city’s political status quo. City council endorsements are also listed.

The three-day session opened with endorsements for four Memphis City Council candidates on the Oct. 5 ballot. About 150 people attended the event at the Memphis Sports and Event Center at Liberty Park.

Despite a small turnout of supporters in Olive Branch on Wednesday, Democratic nominee Brandon Presley thinks DeSoto County could be key in his run for governor.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann has defeated state Sen. Chris McDaniel in the state’s bitter Republican primary for lieutenant governor. Other statewide candidates also faced off Tuesday night.

DeSoto County voters elected two top officials Tuesday, Aug. 8, in the Republican primaries for DeSoto County sheriff and district attorney for the 23rd Circuit Court District.

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Gov. Tate Reeves will face Brandon Presley in November’s election

Mississippi Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann wins heated GOP primary

Reeves defeated two first-time candidates: John Witcher, a physician who has criticized COVID-19 vaccinations, and David Hardigree, a military veteran. Presley, a cousin of rock ’n’ roll icon Elvis Presley, ran unopposed.

Polls in DeSoto County will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday for voters to cast their ballots in the state’s primary elections.

Mayoral contender J.W. Gibson talked about the size of the field as he opened his campaign headquarters Saturday, Aug. 5, in southeast Memphis. The issue could come to a head at the People’s Convention.

Pearson easily beat independent candidate Jeff Johnston in the second special general election this year for the seat covering the western edge of Shelby County.

Voters on the western edge of Shelby County go to the polls Thursday, Aug. 3, to elect their state representative for the fourth time this year.

Watch The Daily Memphian and WKNO’s Memphis mayoral debate from Tuesday, Aug. 15, here.

Colvett pulled out of what is now an 18-candidate race at Thursday’s deadline for candidates to withdraw from the October Memphis ballot.

A federal judge blocks a new Mississippi law that would set criminal penalties for some people who help others with absentee voting. The ruling comes as absentee ballots are already available for next month’s party primaries for governor and other state offices.

Eight candidates were invited to the debate, which will be broadcast on WKNO/Channel 10 at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 15 and livestreamed on both wkno.org and on The Daily Memphian. 

The unions that represent Memphis police officers and firefighters handed Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. a key endorsement Tuesday. 

Floyd Bonner responded to the protesters outside his headquarters and talked about changing state law if necessary to curb youth violence. Meanwhile, everyone’s talking about the field of 19 in the mayor’s race and its impact on who wins.

Two council incumbents were effectively re-elected at the Thursday, July 20, deadline because they had no opposition. Two other council races drew fields of seven candidates.

As council contenders weigh their options, several races are filling up. Meanwhile, two former council members have filed their petitions to get back on the body and a third is considering it.