Memphis voter guide 2023: The hub for mayoral, City Council election coverage

Corinne S Kennedy and Katherine Burgess, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Updated ·8 min read

Election season is upon us, Memphis, and with 11 contested City Council races and a mayoral election with 17 names on the ballot, Memphis voters sure have a lot to think about.

We put together this voter guide so you can easily find all the coverage you need any time you want. And make sure to check back soon ― we'll continuously update this file between now and election day with all our stories related to the upcoming elections.

What are the key dates?

Election Day is Oct. 5. This story has everything you need to know if you plan to vote on Election Day.

The deadline to register to vote for any of the below races was Sept. 5, the last day to request an absentee ballot was Sept. 28 and early voting ended Sept. 30.

If you have questions about how to check your voter registration status, we have the answers here.

If you need help getting to and from your polling place on Election Day, Rideshare2Vote Aware offers free round-trip rides to the polls. Voters can schedule a ride at https://rideshare2voteaware.org/request-a-ride/ or by calling 888-858-3421.

Who is running for Memphis mayor?

There are 17 candidates vying for the post after Memphis City Councilman Frank Colvett dropped out of the race in late July. We profiled eight of the top candidates in the race ― click on their names below to see the associated profile. Here's who is still running (in alphabetical order and as names appear on petitions). The mayoral race is nonpartisan:

Hear from the candidates

Mayoral candidates have already participated in multiple debates and forums hosted by churches, community groups and news organizations across Memphis. You can find our coverage of those discussions below.

  • In a forum hosted by The Commercial Appeal, Action News 5 and the League of Women Voters, candidates addressed issues ranging from MLGW reliability to public transit. You can read all about it here.

  • In the CA/WMC forum, candidates also addressed how the city of Memphis should divide up money for stadium renovations or construction.

  • In a late August forum at Hope Church, mayoral candidates shared their views on how to address the root causes of Memphis crime. But first, they all tried to make sure the audience knew they were the most Christian candidate running for mayor.

  • While on stage at a debate hosted by the Cordova Republican Club and area businesses, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner took hits from his fellow candidates for Memphis mayor. This story has all the details from that debate, the only one scheduled to be hosted by a local Republican group.

  • The Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope hosted a mayoral forum to probe some of the top candidates on topics like crime and equity. We have full coverage of that event in this story.

  • Six of the top candidates for the office took part in an August forum hosted by the Greater Memphis Chamber to answer questions on issues impacting the local business community, including job creation and crime reduction. You can see what the candidates had to say in this story.

  • In another August debate, none of the five candidates for Memphis mayor present committed to keeping either Memphis Light, Gas & Water President Doug McGowen or Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn C.J. Davis in their roles, should they be elected. You can read full coverage of that discussion by clicking here.

  • Paul Young won the mock election at the Memphis People's Convention this summer. You can read about that, and what Young had to say, in this story.

  • A forum in July focused on four main issues – infrastructure, crime, economic development and education/youth. Hear from the candidates on those topics by clicking here.

  • This June event saw one of the largest gatherings of mayoral candidates since the campaign began. See what they had to say on crime and affordable housing by clicking here.

  • Way back in April, candidates discussed youth curfews and what they thought of a civil suit against the city brought by the family of Tyre Nichols. Here's what candidates at that forum had to say.

Several of the top mayoral candidates have racked up significant endorsements. Here are the details:

You can also vote in our (informal and unscientific) mayoral poll by clicking here.

Other Memphis mayoral race coverage

On Thursday, Memphians will turn out to vote on a ballot that includes 17 candidates for one Memphis Mayor and more than 40 candidates seeking 13 seats on the Memphis City Council. Also on the ballot? The direction of the city.

Several Memphis mayoral candidates largely voiced support for a recently announced federal pattern or practice review of the Memphis Police Department, with some vowing cooperation with the investigation if elected mayor. You can hear what the candidates had to say in full in this story.

Wondering how the residency requirement saga shook out? All the details on the resolution of that lawsuit are in this story.

We also have a story for you on what mayoral candidates (including some who have since dropped out or didn't qualify for the ballot) think about public safety and policing in Memphis in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols. You can find all of their responses by clicking here.

Former Mayor Willie Herenton has done most of his campaigning for his 2023 mayoral bid quietly. But the 83-year-old is looking to court the millennial vote. Here's how he is doing it.

Who is running for Memphis City Council?

With 44 candidates for 13 seats, who isn't running is an easier question. But here is a list of who qualified for the ballot in each district. City Council races, like the mayoral race, are nonpartisan.

City Council District 1:

  • Kymberly M. Kelley

  • Incumbent: Rhonda Logan

City Council District 2: (Currently held by Councilman Frank Colvett, who cannot seek reelection due to term limits)

  • Keith L. Burks

  • Will Frazier

  • Jerri Mauldin Green

  • Scott McCormick

  • Rodanial Ray Ransom

  • Marvin White

City Council District 3: (Currently held by Councilwoman Patrice Robinson, who cannot seek reelection due to term limits)

  • Ricky W. Dixon

  • James Earl Kirkwood

  • Kawanias McNeary

  • Towanna C. Murphy

  • Pearl E. Walker

City Council District 4:

  • Teri N. Dockery

  • Incumbent: Jana Swearengen-Washington

City Council District 5: (Currently held by Councilman Worth Morgan, who cannot seek reelection due to term limits)

  • Luke Hatler

  • Meggan Kiel

  • Philip Spinosa

The District 5 race has become one of the most contentious. You can read about how the candidates have clashed about police reform in this story.

City Council District 6:

  • Keith D. Austin

  • Incumbent: Edmund Ford Sr.

  • Larry Hunter

Memphis City Council meets at city hall in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Memphis City Council meets at city hall in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

City Council District 7:

  • Edward Douglas

  • Incumbent: Michalyn C.S. Easter-Thomas

  • Jimmy A. Hassan

  • Jarrett D. Parks

  • Deanesha Reed

  • Austin Rowe

  • Larry Springfield

City Council Super District 8, Position 1:

  • Incumbent: JB Smiley Jr.

City Council Super District 8, Position 2: (Currently held by Councilwoman Cheyenne Johnson, who is eligible for reelection but chose not to run)

  • Marion LaTroy Alexandria-Williams

  • Davin D. Clemons

  • Janika Nachelle White

City Council Super District 8, Position 3: (Currently held by Councilman Martavius Jones, who cannot seek reelection due to term limits)

  • Berlin Boyd

  • Yolanda Cooper-Sutton

  • Brian E. Harris

  • Lucille Mack-Catron

  • Damon Curry Morris

  • Jerred Price

  • Paul Randolph Jr.

City Council Super District 9, Position 1:

  • Incumbent: Chaseton Ross Carlisle

  • Benjamin R. Smith III

City Council Super District 9, Position 2:

  • Incumbent: Joseph Ford Canale

  • Brandon D. Washington

City Council Super District 9, Position 3:

  • Incumbent: Jeff Warren

The CA asked city council candidates to respond to questions about their qualifications for office, priorities should they be elected and what they see as the city's most significant challenges. You can find responses for candidates in each district by clicking here.

A Memphis City Council meeting can be seen through the City of Memphis seal in the meeting room door at city hall in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
A Memphis City Council meeting can be seen through the City of Memphis seal in the meeting room door at city hall in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

What else to know about Memphis City Council elections

Voters in one Memphis precinct will be in another city council district this year after the council approved a slightly modified district map. That plan faced opposition from the county Democratic party. You can read all of that background in this story.

If you live in Memphis, you can find out which district you reside in by clicking here.

Are there any other Memphis elections this year?

A special election for the District 86 State House seat already took place earlier this year and was won by Justin J. Pearson. There are no other elections for Memphis voters this year.

One race that normally would have taken place in October is now moot. For at least one year, starting January 2024, Memphis will no longer have an elected city court clerk. However, Memphians could decide to bring back the elected position in a referendum vote next August. You can read all the details in this story.

Also in August 2024, Memphis voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on how long future mayoral candidates will have had to live within city limits before they can run for the office. Find the details on that referendum in this story.

Also coming next year, Memphians could have the opportunity to decide if they want to see partisan city elections. All the details on that are in this story.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What to know about 2023 Memphis mayoral, city council elections