Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. joined the early forming field for Memphis mayor Tuesday, Oct. 25, with a formal announcement from Clark Tower. 

“I’m fully aware of the arguments against voting. It’s a waste of time. It won’t change anything. No time to vote. Can’t trust any of them. My candidate won’t win anyway. But our lives are affected by the people we vote into office.”

The county’s early voter total through the first four days of the period is tops in the state. 

Alderman candidates Scott Sanders and Manjit Kaur are running in the only contested election in Germantown this year. Their campaign financial filings provide the starkest difference between them.

Republican Brent Taylor says he wants to focus on crime and business, rather than culture wars. Ruby Powell-Dennis wants to flip the seat for the Democrats with a message of ending racial and economic injustice.

Bonner’s announcement follows several months of consideration on the heels of his easy second term win in the August county general election.

The four candidates for Bartlett mayor made their final campaign stances this week at a forum.

Two offices are contested for the Millington Municipal Schools board on the Nov. 8 ballot, along with two candidates running unopposed.

Chris Ford, 54, an insurance salesman, will defend the Position 3 alderman seat against Tom Stephens, a retired firefighter.

The Wednesday, Oct. 19, opening came with some new restrictions on campaigning near several voting sites and indications that the choice to vote on new machines or vote with a hand-marked paper ballot will be watched as closely as the vote totals.

Here’s all you need to know about voting early and the new system that offers voters a choice between new voting machines and hand-marked paper ballots.

A Collierville Schools mother and real estate agent is challenging an incumbent school board member who has served since the district’s inception.

Four people are running for an open school board seat in Collierville. Frank Warren decided over the summer he would not seek a second term.

For most of Shelby County’s voters, the most exciting thing about the ballot that opens early voting might be the new voting system.

Related story:

Ballot Basics: Early Voting Oct. 19-Nov. 3

Collierville Alderwoman Missy Marshall faces a challenge from Emily Fulmer, a University of Memphis professor. 

Collierville Alderwoman Maureen Fraser is facing a challenge for her seat in November, but her opponent is one she’s defeated before.

Dr. Daniel Chatham and Jeffrey Chipman are running for the seat left open by Betsy Landers’ decision to not seek reelection.

Germantown Alderman Scott Sanders is facing a challenge from Manjit Kaur. Sanders relies on his experience, while Kaur relies on service to the community.

One Germantown parent is aiming to unseat the school board chair in the Nov. 8 GMSD election. 

Several churches rallied in support of a proposed amendment that would ban slavery in all forms in the state. A coalition of political groups is also urging voters to choose a hand-marked paper ballot.

Price plans to run in Super District 8 after running four years ago in District 7. Meanwhile, other council races on the October 2023 ballot are also taking shape with a little less than a year to election day. 

Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, who currently lives in Bartlett, says he will decide this month on a bid for Memphis Mayor on the October 2023 city ballot. 

The latest campaign disclosures show Alderman David Parsons has the most money in the four-candidate race for Bartlett mayor.

The November ballot features four proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution, which will be presented by Shelby County’s new voting machines.

Jason Martin also said he supports legalizing and taxing marijuana.