The Tuesday, May 24, council agenda also includes the second of three votes on a companion ballot question that would allow partisan primaries in city elections.

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County property tax rate set, but budgeting goes on

But the Shelby County Commission still has some dollar figures to crunch and some conflicting calculations to resolve before it can close the books on another budget season. 

The delay comes as the commission as well as the city council have had trouble with attendance this month as the school year ends and family vacations begin.

Worth Morgan, the Republican nominee for Shelby County Mayor talks about the terrain of the 2022 county general election and what the defeat of Ken Moody in the primaries means for the general election.

The question arose recently of whether 200 or so homes already occupied and an additional 100 homes planned are in Shelby or Fayette County.

The May county primary results are certified and the Democratic and Republican nominees who advanced to the August ballot are now seeking to appeal to a larger group of voters in that election.

The certified results show more than 100 additional votes than the election night unofficial totals in the one-candidate Republican primary races for Shelby County Mayor and District Attorney General. 

Confusion over the Fayette-Shelby county line raised questions about a candidate’s eligibility and much deeper problems from property taxes to where students attend schools.

On Aug. 4, she will face Democratic nominee Steve Mulroy, a law professor and former prosecutor, lawyer and county commissioner.

The former Shelby County Republican Party chairman and member of the Republican National Committee, as well as its general counsel, died over the weekend at the age of 72. 

The problem that delayed the certification was combining tabulations from two different systems into a single statement of votes cast. 

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland went after critics of his backing of the state truth in sentencing law and his description of 201 Poplar as a “revolving door” for criminals during a lively interview on “Behind The Headlines.”

After one term in office, Lakeland Mayor Mike Cunningham has decided not to seek a second term as the suburb’s top elected official.

Democratic state Rep. G.A. Hardaway reacted after some county commissioners said Monday they didn’t see any sense in filling the vacancy in a Memphis district because the Tennessee Legislature’s session has ended.

Stephanie Gatewood, who finished third in the clerk primary, says Janeen Gordon should never have been allowed to run on the ballot as “Janeen Fullilove Gordon” — using the name of her mother, outgoing clerk Janis Fullilove.

Maureen Fraser and Missy Marshall plan to seek four-year terms on the town’s board. 

Some Memphis Democrats in the Legislature say they want a replacement appointed even though the Legislature is out of session. The commission put off a decision on the matter until its May 23 meeting. 

Leaders of county government’s effort to bridge gaps in the local juvenile justice system and move children with non-violent offenses away from contact with the system talked about the approach on “Behind The Headlines.”

“My concern with (this bill) is that data does not support the basic premise of the legislation,” Lee wrote in a letter to General Assembly leadership.

U.S. Reps. Steve Cohen and Michael Kustoff commented at separate events Thursday in Shelby County, elaborating on earlier reaction to the leaked opinion draft on the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the U.S. 

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Kustoff addresses national concerns, midterm elections

The congressman told local business leaders the midterms could be a “wave election.” He believes Republicans could gain control of the nation’s House and Senate.

The Daily Memphian’s On The Record podcast reviews the results from Tuesday’s county primaries with a look ahead to the August county general election.

Only one of the incumbent Democratic clerks from 2018’s Democratic sweep of the offices was without a challenge from within the party. Three of the incumbents didn’t survive to advance to the August county general election.

Incumbent Democratic County Mayor Lee Harris defeated challenger Ken Moody. Harris said he expects a hard-fought contest in the general election contest with Republican nominee Worth Morgan. 

“It’s quite simple, the Democrat primary voters have decided who they want as their candidate,” Folsom said. “It was a well-fought race despite the incredibly low turnout.”