Elections
Missed early voting? Election Day awaits
Here’s everything you need to know about voting in Shelby County on the May 5 election day and a look at what is at stake in this election along with some trends in voter turnout.
Bill Dries
Reporter
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for almost 50 years covering a wide variety of stories from the 1977 death of Elvis Presley and the 1978 police and fire strikes to numerous political campaigns, every county mayor and every Memphis Mayor starting with Wyeth Chandler.
There are 4299 articles by Bill Dries :
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May 2026
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2026 elections
Elections -
2026 Elections
ElectionsSpecial session bid to ‘Flip Memphis’ becomes tip of political iceberg
The political roundup connects the dots on the call to redraw U.S. House district lines ahead of August Congressional primaries to the broader call by Republicans for more state control of the city.
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2026 elections
ElectionsEarly-voter turnout spikes in last days
More than 57,000 early votes were cast in the 14-day period ahead in the Shelby County primaries. Here’s how that compares to past turnout in the same election cycle and what it could say about Election Day.
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Behind The Headlines Congressional redistricting joins busy political horizon
A landmark Supreme Court ruling has put the boundaries for Tennessee’s nine congressional districts in play, especially the Memphis-centric district now represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen.
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Education County Commission to meet on funding for MSCS lawsuit against takeover
The commission will try again on a resolution to provide county funding for a legal challenge of the state’s pending takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
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Premium
Downtown‘An alternate Memphis’: Baron Von Opperbean opens the multiverse at Mud Island
The immersive experience “Baron Von Opperbean and The River of Time” opens Friday, May 1, in the old River Museum at Mud Island River Park.
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April 2026
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2026 elections
ElectionsEarly voting’s last day could see higher turnout than 2022
Thursday is the final day to vote early in the Shelby County primaries ahead of the May 5 Election Day.
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City of Memphis Council hangs up over length of leases for city-owned properties
The sticking point is language that encouraged the administration to try to negotiate leases for terms of five years for projects like the Children’s Museum of Memphis and the new Metal Museum.
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City of Memphis City Council goes behind closed doors to talk MPD’s No Kings response
Council member Jerri Green said she wasn’t told why the items were removed from discussion but said an outside investigation of MPD may be needed.
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2026 elections
ElectionsReady. Set. Vote.
Early voting ahead of the May 5 election day in Shelby County begins Wednesday, April 15, at 26 locations across the county. Here’s everything you need to know about the start of the first election of 2026.
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Shelby County County Commission fails to fund MSCS takeover lawsuit
A procedural vote Monday, April 27, killed a maneuver to fund a legal challenge by Memphis-Shelby County Schools to the state’s takeover of the school system. But there could be a second try.
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Update
City of MemphisNo Kings questions appear, then disappear from City Council agenda
As a march of more than 1,000 people Downtown was winding down, police pepper-sprayed and tackled individuals at the rear of the crowd. Some council members wanted to discuss that in Tuesday, April 28, committees but the items were taken off the agenda.
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Shelby County County Commission fills a board vacancy, approves a Downtown board appointment
The Shelby County Commission welcomed a new member to the group that determines defendants’ bail and other conditions for release and also approved emergency Sheriff’s Office funding.
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2026 elections
ElectionsClerks, the trustee and the register: The other races on the 2026 county primary ballot
Here is an overview of seven races on the May ballot that aren’t getting as much attention as the races for county mayor, Shelby County Board of Commissioners and county clerk.
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2026 elections
ElectionsDemocratic mayoral candidates on MSCS lawsuit, Task Force, jail
With Election Day around the corner, it was a busy week in Shelby County. Mayoral contenders hit forums across the area to talk with voters one-on-one. Meanwhile, early voting turnout is higher than the pivotal 2018 County primaries.
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Shelby County County Commission could discuss funding a challenge of MSCS takeover
Over the weekend, two Shelby County officials talked about the possibility of commissioners considering taking legal action to stop the school district takeover.
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Spirit of Memphis Mason Temple renovation marks latest chapter for civil rights landmark
The 81-year-old Mason Temple is getting a renovation, the latest in a series for the landmark that has a dramatic history as the place where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final speech the night before he was assassinated.
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Shelby County County government could fund legal challenge of MSCS state takeover
Two contenders in the Democratic primary for Shelby County Mayor, Mickell Lowery and Harold Collins, each said private talks could surface to get around a state law that prevents school boards from using public money to fight a school system takeover by the state.
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2026 Elections
ElectionsDemocratic primary race for county clerk is biggest field on May 5 ballot
Here is your guide to who is running in the May Democratic primary to succeed Wanda Halbert as County Clerk.
Related content:
All 11 candidates in the Democratic primary for County Clerk
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Shelby County Longtime state rep G.A. Hardaway dies
G.A. Hardaway, a longtime public servant and state representative, died Friday, April 24.
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2026 elections
ElectionsWhy are some Shelby County voters marked ‘inactive’ ahead of elections?
The status of inactive voters comes up regularly during an election year, but inactive status does not mean the voter is ineligible to vote.
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2026 elections
ElectionsFeagins tells mayoral forum she does not favor school-takeover legislation
Marie Feagins commented on the Memphis-Shelby County Schools takeover law at a forum for Democratic contenders for Shelby County mayor among suburban chamber of commerce leaders in East Memphis.
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2026 elections
ElectionsCounty primary early voter turnout so far cracks 10K
Early voter turnout through the first four days of the period that ends April 30 is higher than it was at the same point in 2018.
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City of Memphis No city property-tax hike, says Mayor Paul Young
Young is prepping to present his budget proposal, meanwhile he’s already talking about the bottom line. Also in this roundup: Marsha Blackburn on climate change and Democrats vow statewide organization.
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2026 Elections
ElectionsA guide to the 13 races for Shelby County Commission
Here is everything you need to know about the 13 Shelby County Commission races on the May 5 ballot.
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