Vicki Gandee is facing Andy Ellis for the school board seat. It’s the only contested Germantown-specific race on the Nov. 5 ballot.

“These ballot questions are a fraud on the voters of Memphis,” General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement his office released about its decision to not challenge a court’s ruling allowing the gun-control referendum to continue.

Mayor Young says he still thinks the referendum is not the best approach, but told The Daily Memphian he understands the sentiment. Gov. Lee says the referendum is about finding a way to “circumvent the law.”

DeSoto County is about 31% Black, but none of the 25 current officeholders elected from districts provided by the 2022 plan are Black.

Three residents are vying for the open position on Collierville’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The seat is held by Alderman John Worley who is not seeking reelection.

Tennessee’s abortion ban comes up in discussion of Memphis’ gun-control referendum; Sen. Blackburn uses old stats to talk crime, and remembering Jim Sasser, the former U.S. senator who was instrumental in bringing pandas to the zoo.

The gun referendum has stoked partisan enthusiasm on both sides of the aisle. JB Smiley Jr. and Jerri Green said the council won’t back down. Conservative talk radio has called the body’s moves a “gun grab.”

Allan Wade, the council’s attorney, successfully argued that the constitutionality of the ballot measure did not matter until the people voted on it.

Steve Cohen meets with diplomats from Middle East countries and said discussions could include the possibility of a peacekeeping force in Gaza. Meanwhile, local Republicans and Democrats hear about voting’s importance in a non-battleground state.

While Memphians might not vote on gun control, they will vote on runoffs for future mayor’s races, residency requirements for mayoral and City Council candidates and if the council can set its own pay.

Win or lose, Maureen Fraser and Billy Patton must resign from their alderman seat after the election due to the town’s resign-to-run rule.

The former county commissioner and a set of 15 appointed staff members formally take office Sept. 1 in the office that administers the day-to-day business of the largest court in the state.

The Election Commission’s decision could set up a legal battle a day after the state’s Republican leadership came out against Memphis’ vote on gun control.

“Common sense says local governments can’t override state law to give a 12-year-old a driver’s license, and they can’t override other state laws either,” Hargett said in a statement emailed to The Daily Memphian.

Related content:

TN Repubs threaten to withhold sales tax over Memphis gun votes

Local reaction to gun-control threat crosses party lines

Democrats rallied in Memphis and three other cities across the state Saturday, Aug. 24, to kick off a get-out-the-vote effort for Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and other down ballot races in the Nov. 5 elections.

Memphis Democrat Justin J. Pearson, along with Gloria Johnson of Knoxville and Justin Jones of Nashville, had been scheduled to take the national stage just before the balloon drop during the Democratic National Convention.

Three men are seeking the remaining two years of Keri Blair’s term. A former educator, a current educator and a manager at a railroad company are vying for the seat.

“This was a winnable race. This was a ridiculously winnable race,” Lisa Arnold told Shelby County Republicans of her loss.

Some vote totals changed in the certified Aug. 1 election results for Shelby County. Meanwhile, the Shelby County Election Commission certified the list of candidates in five sets of suburban races on the Nov. 5 ballot.

A Parkway Village rally for the Memphis delegates showed the challenges Democrats face in turning out the votes in the November election. 

State Rep. Gloria Johnson, the Democrat challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn on Nov. 5, talks about her campaign and the change in the Democratic presidential ticket on The Daily Memphian’s “On The Record” podcast.

A problem on the Election Commission’s website led a state House candidate to conclude she won her race when she lost the lead in the last batch of votes by the unofficial results.

With the passing of Thursday’s qualifying deadline, the races for suburban offices — and who wants the voters’ support — became clearer.

A Germantown-based real estate agent plans to seek the Board of Education seat Amy Eoff has held since her election in 2016.

Parr is banker, and her family has a long history in Collierville. She wants to serve the suburb by seeking elected office.