Election Day in Shelby County is Thursday, Aug. 6. Here's the fast version of everything on your ballot — no fine print, just the basics.
🗳️ Good to know before you vote
When: Thursday, Aug. 6. Polls are open 7 AM to 7 PM.
What to bring: A state or federal photo ID.
Where: You must vote at your assigned polling place on Election Day (early voting was anywhere — Election Day is not).
How many people already voted: Early voting ended Saturday. Nearly 70,000 Shelby Countians cast a ballot early — one of the strongest early turnouts the county has seen.
🏛️ The big races
Governor — Gov. Bill Lee is term-limited, so Tennessee gets a new governor for the first time since 2018. Whoever wins Thursday's primary moves on to November.
Republican primary: U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Rep. John Rose, State Rep. Monty Fritts.
Democratic primary: Memphis City Council member Jerri Green, Carnita Atwater, Tim Cyr, Adam Kurtz, Kevin Lee McCants.
U.S. House, District 9 — This is the Memphis-area seat. Longtime Congressman Steve Cohen chose not to run after the state redrew the district's lines earlier this year.
Republican primary: State Sen. Brent Taylor and State Rep. Todd Warner are the frontrunners, with Jeremy Thompson and Charlotte Bergmann also running.
Democratic primary: State Rep. Justin Pearson and State Sen. London Lamar are the frontrunners, with Jim Torino also running.
State legislature — Most Memphis-area House seats have primaries Thursday too. The fun one: Rep. Justin Pearson is on the ballot twice — running for Congress and defending his District 86 House seat against David Page. Rep. Joe Towns is pulling the same double: his District 84 primary and a run for Criminal Court Clerk.
Shelby County Mayor — Mayor Lee Harris is term-limited. It's Democrat Mickell Lowery (current County Commissioner) against Republican John DeBerry (former state representative).
Shelby County Sheriff — Sheriff Floyd Bonner is term-limited. It's Democrat Anthony Buckner (the current Chief Deputy) against Republican Brad Less (a current Sheriff's Office lieutenant).
🏛️ County Commission — all 13 seats
Six districts have real races Thursday:
District 1 (Arlington, Millington, Shelby Forest): Democrat Sade Bradley vs. Republican Rhonda O'Dell — open seat.
District 3: Republican Michele Dial (Lakeland's vice mayor) vs. Democrat Ryan Ramkhelawan — open seat.
District 7: Incumbent Democrat Henri Brooks vs. Republican Gerald Green.
District 8 (Downtown, Medical District, South Memphis): Democrat Will Richardson vs. Republican E.J. Murphy vs. independent Keeley Greer — open seat.
District 12: Incumbent Democrat Erika Sugarmon vs. independent Andrea Bell.
District 13: Democrat Amber Huett-Garcia vs. Republican Ed Apple — open seat.
The other seven districts drew just one candidate — those races are already decided.
🧾 The clerk's offices
County Clerk: Wanda Halbert is term-limited. Democrat LaSonya Hall vs. Republican Tina Montgomery for the open seat.
Criminal Court Clerk: Democrat Joe Towns vs. Republican Edquardo Jamison, a 25-year Sheriff's Office veteran.
Juvenile Court Clerk: Incumbent Democrat Janeen Gordon vs. independent Teresa Maclin-Garvins, a 30-year Juvenile Court veteran.
Already decided: Trustee Joseph Lee, Register of Deeds Willie Brooks, Circuit Court Clerk Jamita Swearengen and Probate Court Clerk Eddie Jones all ran unopposed.
⚖️ Judges
Criminal Court: A crowded 8-candidate race to finish the term of retiring Judge Chris Craft.
Keep or replace: 7 Tennessee appellate judges — including Supreme Court Justices Kyle Hixon and Mary Wagner — face a yes-or-no retention vote. Vote "replace" and Gov. Lee picks the successor.
🏫 Schools + one big question
School board: 4 Memphis-Shelby County Schools seats. Districts 1 and 9 were already decided back in May. Districts 6 and 8 are on Thursday's ballot.
One question for everyone: A charter amendment asking whether the County Commission should be able to hire its own independent lawyer, instead of sharing the county attorney with the mayor's office. It's a yes-or-no vote.
🏘️ Live in the 'burbs?
Your ballot has a few extra races:
Arlington: The only suburb with a full town election Thursday. The race to watch is Alderman Position 6 — incumbent Jeremy Biggs vs. Donald Hinkle. The other alderman and school board spots are unopposed.
Bartlett: School board members Erin Elliott Berry and Bryan Woodruff are unopposed. Municipal Court Judge Tim Francavilla is too.
Collierville: The suburbs' one real school board fight. Position 2 is open — Rachel Davis vs. Michael Ebbs in the GOP primary, with Jason Morrison unopposed on the Democratic side. Incumbent Tom Bailey (Position 4) is unopposed.
Germantown: School board members Heather Fisher and Vicki Gandee — both unopposed.
Lakeland: Three school board seats — Keith Acton, Sara Castellaw and Laura Harrison, all unopposed.
Millington: Three school board seats. Position 4 is the contested one: Marie Thomas vs. Don Holsinger. Incumbent Mandy Compton is unopposed.
One heads-up: the big suburban races — mayor and aldermen in Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington — aren't until November 3. Thursday is mostly school boards out east.
🔎 Want the full details?
Your exact ballot depends on your address. These local newsrooms built race-by-race guides with every candidate:
See you at the polls, Memphis.