MLK50: Justice Through Journalism wants to hear which questions you think we should ask the candidates for the next Shelby County mayor.
Since the “Blue Wave” in 2018, countywide offices have largely been held by Democrats, so it’s possible that the winner of the Democratic primary will end up being the next mayor of Shelby County. Many of those countywide offices were held by Republicans from 2010 to 2018. Current Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, a Democrat, cannot run for office again.
Early voting for the Democratic and Republican primaries begins on April 15, with election day scheduled for May 5.
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The primary winners will compete in the general election alongside Independent candidates. Election day is August 6.
MLK50 has created a survey open to all Shelby County residents on what questions they would like asked of mayoral candidates. After the survey closes on March 23, MLK50 will take the most frequently asked questions to each candidate.
Responses from the mayoral candidates will be published by MLK50 before early voting for the primary begins.
The county mayor is responsible for working with the Shelby County Board of Commissioners to create a $1.6 billion budget, deciding how the county’s tax dollars will be spent, including funding the sheriff’s office, education, projects like new buildings and roads, judicial offices and more.
The mayor also appoints people to major roles that report to him, including the director of the Shelby County Health Department, the county attorney, the public defender and the director of the Division of Corrections. The county’s Division of Public Works — responsible for roadways and bridges, largely in unincorporated Shelby County — is also under his supervision.
You can take the survey here. The first two questions are required. The rest are optional and involve particular areas of county government.
Katherine Burgess is the government accountability reporter for MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. Contact her at katherine.burgess@mlk50.com
This story is brought to you byMLK50: Justice Through Journalism, a nonprofit newsroom focused on poverty, power and policy in Memphis. Support independent journalism by making a tax-deductible donation today. MLK50 is also supported by these generous donors.