Here’s what to look for in the election day returns beyond who wins and who loses, especially Shelby County’s role as the county with the largest bloc of voters for both parties.

Partisans on both sides were still rallying voters to turn out on the Tuesday, Nov. 5, presidential general election day with similar appeals but with very different motivations and beliefs.

The incumbent alderman should easily cruise to victory Tuesday night because no one decided to challenge him for his second term in Position 4. It will be his second term.

Neither former President Donald Trump nor Vice President Kamala Harris has campaigned in Shelby County, but both have local headquarters that offer a peek at the mindset of voters in a non-battleground state.

Two challengers are facing Position 6 Alderman Kevin Quinn in Bartlett’s only contested race on Tuesday’s ballot. Kenneth Hayes and Josh McNeil are looking to unseat the incumbent.

Early voting had its biggest turnout (excluding absentee ballots) on Halloween — the final day of the 14-day early-voting period. It is still behind the pre-election day turnout four years ago.

Clay Bailey says, “The barrage of campaign ads inflicted on us for the past several months should be coming to an end in the next couple of days. Quite a relief, wouldn’t you say?”

Although no MSCS schools are being used as voting sites this year, MSCS schools are still closed for students Tuesday. 

The last day to vote early in the presidential general election is Thursday, Oct. 31. Here’s a look at turnout so far and comparisons to other elections in this cycle.

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Why schools are closed on Election Day

Democratic and Republican partisans met Saturday, Oct. 26, on the parking lot of the county’s most popular early voting site while Trump supporters waved banners on Poplar Avenue. Four days of early voting remain.

Germantown Alderwoman Sherrie Hicks is completing her first term in Position 3 on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, and is unopposed for reelection.

The last weekend of early voting comes with the use of statewide campaign tours to boost candidates in district and statewide races.

Also, Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty push claims of noncitizens voting in a new call for federal officials to act despite evidence voter purges in other states are removing citizens entitled to vote.

Early voting continues through Oct. 31 with presidential general Election Day on Nov. 5.

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Some candidates are already winners; others fly under the radar

Out of 48 races on the Shelby County Nov. 5 ballot, 21 winners are already determined. Here’s a look at those and the Tennessee legislature races that aren’t getting a lot of the political spotlight.

If Democrats are going to dent the Republican supermajority in the Tennessee General Assembly, Districts 83 and 97 will be key. 

Elected officials started getting complaints from voters who said the choices they made on the touch screen voting machines changed.

The opening day total is less than opening day four years ago in the same presidential general election cycle. Early voting continues through Oct. 31. Election Day is Nov. 5.

Paul Childers reflected on his first term on the school board and thought about some of the challenges on the horizon.

Here are the federal races at the top of Shelby County’s ballot, including a presidential field that has more candidates than just the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees.

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Early voting opens in Shelby County with lines

Early voting continues through Oct. 31. Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett was at one of the early voting sites as the doors opened to lines of voters at several locations locally.

With early voting starting, candidates for Bartlett aldermen seized the opportunity to talk about their credentials and their positions on issues.

If 2024 early voter turnout nears what it’s been for the past four presidential elections in Shelby County, the local ballot will be decided within the next two and a half weeks. 

Voters could bring back mayoral runoffs, approve a residency requirement for city candidates for office and give the City Council more control over salaries. 

Elections administrator Linda Phillips and the Election Commission are preparing for more voters, a longer ballot and new challenges for poll workers.