Shelby County election results arriving soon. Follow live updates 5%
By Annie Goldman2% Jack Armstrong2% Lucas Finton3% Jacob Wilt2%
8/6/2026, 3:03:18 AM
Topics: Elections
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Good evening, Memphis and Shelby County!
It's election day for the Shelby County general election and the state and federal primary election.
Voters in the Shelby County suburbs will also have a variety of municipal offices on their ballots today.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. and results will soon start rolling in.
This election will bring about significant changes for county government; with the current county mayor and sheriff term-limited, voters will select new leaders for both offices.
Every seat on the Shelby County Commission is also up for election, though the majority of seats have candidates running uncontested and a few incumbents have already secured their seats for another term.
Today is also the primary for multiple federal races and will be the first time local voters weigh in on candidates for U.S.
Congress since some of Tennessee's Congressional districts were redrawn by the Tennessee General Assembly.
Here's everything you need to know about the Aug. 6 elections.
Make sure to check back regularly, as this story will be updated throughout the day and as election results roll in tonight.
Downtown, Uptown polls busy in late afternoon
At Mt.
Nebo Baptist Church in Downtown Memphis in the late afternoon, the scene resembled a block party.
The Memphis chapter of the NAACP, which holds its headquarters across the street, hosted a "poll party" with Shelby County Voter Alliance.
Some stood outside the gates of the church waving signs encouraging passersby to vote; others passed out sandwiches from a tent in the parking lot.
A DJ played upbeat music.
Mt.
Nebo is typically a low-turnout spot, said Ian Randolph with Shelby County Voter Alliance.
The organization is trying to raise those numbers.
"It's always important to vote," said Vanessa Gray, who voted at Mt.
Nebo.
"I'm going to do it every time I get the opportunity to do that.
Gray said she cared most about the race for Tennessee governor and Shelby County sheriff.
At Greenlaw Community Center in Uptown Memphis, voters began to pull into the small parking lot towards the end of the work day.
A person handing out flyers for the Democratic Party said the polls had also been busy a bit earlier, around 1 p.m.
Terriah Carver cast her ballot at Greenlaw around 4:30 p.m.
"I come out every election, especially now that I have a little one," she said.
"I make it a point because voting now, it helps for his future."
Glenview poll draws frustrated, but loyal voters
Constituent Shirley Walker, who voted at Glenview Community Center around 4 p.m., remembers her dad taking her to register to vote when she was “freshly 18.”
As of 4:10 at the Glenview polling location, 180 ballots had been cast.
“I don’t miss elections,” she said, a self-proclaimed “always” voter.
Walker’s parents instilled in her the importance of local representation, “having a say” in government.
But because of the redistricting, or splitting Memphis into three districts, she previously decided she wasn’t going to vote in this election this time because of how little representation she believes Memphis has now.
But when she woke up this morning, she thought of her parents and also determined she had to vote.
“Who’s really going to focus on Memphis?”
she said.
Aside from casting her change-of-heart vote, she said she will continue to study candidates to do what’s best for Memphis in the federal races.
Christ City Church sees steady voter stream
At the Christ City Church precinct, 628 ballots were cast by 3:55 p.m., including Emily and Steve Bishop's votes.
Emily and Steve Bishop live in the Cooper Young area in Midtown with their son Jonathan.
The race for Tennessee governor motivated them to come out to the polls to support Memphis mom and lawyer Jerri Green.
Emily Bishop did a lot of research, she said, leading up to the election but still had to get advice on some of the smaller judicial races.
"It’s hard to be informed on those positions when you’re not in that world,” she said.
“A lot of races, so a lot to keep track of leading up to today,” she said.
She also said, “Redistricting is frustrating."
"Our neighbors are now in different districts,” Emily Bishop said.
And the referendum language is confusing, she shared.
More: Find the latest election news from Memphis and across the U.S. here
Meisha Morgan had a smooth experience at the poll.
Redistricting motivated her to vote.
In addition to that, key issues for her include affordable housing, healthcare and teachers' wages.
As a former teacher who struggles with a chronic illness and works at Heal 901 nonprofit in Whitehaven, her experiences have shaped how she votes.
In the coming months ahead of the November election, she said she is going to study the candidates even more.
Raleigh voters stress importance of all races on the ballot
A smaller precinct, the parking lot of Springhill Baptist Church in Raleigh, was lively around 4 p.m.
Thursday.
Few parking spots were open, and a campaign worker noted traffic to the precinct had started to pick up as schools began to let students out.
Sonja Randall said there was not a particular race that drew her to the polls, instead saying all of the races were important.
“Not everyone understands how politics affects us,” Randall said.
“Our votes, even a single vote, really affects our life, our communities and the children in our schools.”
Randall also noted the new congressional districts, saying there was plenty of research that needed to be done for the candidates running.
“In our community — out here in the Raleigh-Frayser area especially — we have [Shelby County Commissioner] Charlie Caswell who does such a good job representing us, and we have [Democratic state Rep.]
Antonio Parkinson,” she said.
“Caswell and Antonio Parkinson, they’re in the community, so we’re familiar with them.
We know their work, so voting for them was really easy.
But then when you see all these other names you don’t know, you have to go and research and find out.
Sometimes you’re voting on your gut feelings, and that’s not a good thing.”
Rodney and Alicia Clark shared Randall’s sentiment on the number of important races on this year’s ballot.
Part of the reason they opted to vote on election day, Alicia Clark said, was to have time to vet their candidates better.
“We did research on the candidates before we made our decision.
That’s why we didn’t go through the early voting process,” Alicia Clark said.
“There were six pages of sample ballots.
Because so many of them didn’t apply to us, we chose to wait for today when it was specifically targeted for our particular districts.”
Frayser voters talk about redistricting, ballot referendum
The Ed Rice Community Center in Frayser saw a steady trickle of voters around 3 p.m.
Thursday.
The parking lot was far from full, with well over half its parking spots open at most times.
Fewer than 10 campaign staffers were confined to the parking lot’s edges — abiding by the 100-foot requirement — but stopped cars with voters as they passed to hand out campaign materials.
Part of that trickle of voters was Christina Westbrook, owner of Smurfey’s Smokehouse Food Truck, and Brenda Grant.
For Westbrook, casting a ballot in this election cycle was the right thing to do.
“I think it’s important for people to get out and vote on the side of what’s right.
Not Black, not White, but what’s right,” Westbrook said.
Westbrook said the newly drawn U.S. congressional seats have drawn her interest.
Meanwhile, Grant said the Shelby County sheriff’s race and a county-wide referendum ordinance caught her eye.
The referendum asks voters if the Shelby County Commission should be allowed to appoint an attorney to act as its legal advisor, separate from the county attorney.
“We already pay an attorney, why would we pay another one?
It makes no sense,” Grant said after voting.
For those who hadn’t voted yet, Grant encouraged them to do so.
“Get out and vote, it’s very important,” she said.
“And don’t complain [about the results] if you don’t.”
Some suburban polling places see slow start to the day
Compassion Church in Germantown houses two precincts.
By about 12:45 p.m., the two precincts had seen a combined voter tally of about 145.
Workers at the polling place said things had operated all day smoothly with minimal lines.
However, they encouraged those who hadn't yet voted to get out and do so before the end of the day.
At Christ Community Baptist in Collierville, 118 people had voted as of 1:15 p.m.
The first voter of the day, election workers said, was a 100-year-old woman who showed up excited to vote and knowledgeable about the races on the ballot.
Poll workers said she served as a good example: if she can get out and vote, anyone can.
Voting steady at Faith Anglican Church precinct in Cordova
Larry Berry, a Cordova resident for 21 years, has served as a poll worker at the Faith Anglican Church precinct for the same amount of time in Cordova.
After his wife initially volunteered him to serve during elections, Berry said he liked it so much, he kept coming back, even when he retired after 36 years working in the Tennessee Department of Revenue.
He said it's important for voters to be informed about the candidates and issues in their community.
"If you don't stay informed, you won't know who you are voting for," Berry said.
"You won't know if they have the same mindset as you.
And you won't have room to complain about who you stood for."
By 11:15 a.m., approximately 110 voters had cast their votes at the precinct, according to Janet Cash, precinct poll officer.
She said the location was drawing a "steady" pace of voters, with races for county mayor, sheriff, governor and congressional seats, raising the most voter interest.
Germantown voters not inspired by most candidates
Germantown voters headed to the poll at Germantown Presbyterian Church on Aug. 6, where some said they came to fulfill their civic duty despite not being inspired by many candidates.
Jacob Connell was one of those voters who had no particular candidate in mind as a favorite, though there were still big issues that he hoped his candidates would address.
“Continuing to monitor crime in Shelby County [is important],” he said.
“I think Memphis is a great place to live, and if we can control the crime, we’ll see business grow and ultimately the community grow.”
Myra Osment has been voting for 60 years, and Aug. 6 was no different.
Sen.
Marsha Blackburn, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, was one of her top candidates.
“I just like everything she’s done as a senator,” Osment said.
“I think she’s pretty strong on gun control, that we don’t have any… and Bill Hagerty, that was really the only two that brought me out today.
I just felt like my candidates needed my support today because of the redistricting.”
Wayne Lichliter said he was disappointed by the lack of competitiveness with Democratic party candidates in Germantown, but still came out to vote regardless.
“I did vote for Jerri Green, [Janeen] Gordon, but there’s just not a lot to get excited on,” he said.
Lichliter did see casting his vote in light of recent redistricting as “exceptionally” important.
“As obnoxious as [redistricting] is, but I always vote.
I haven’t missed an election since probably the late '70s,” he said.
Voters in Cordova cite redistricting as reason for turnout
A steady stream of voters visited the polling location at St.
Luke Lutheran Church in Cordova in the early hours of the morning.
Many remarked that they were casting a ballot out of a general civic duty, or to vote down the line for one party.
Others had more specific candidates or issues that brought them out.
Jelisa Anderson said voting for mayor was especially important to her.
“Mickell Lowery for sure, I just really believe in his message and what he can do for the people,” she said.
The recent Tennessee congressional redistricting was also a big factor.
“It doesn’t make sense as far as the distance of the new districts and all of that,” she said.
“But two, with my generation I know a lot of people my age do not like to get out and vote… I’m like, 'I have the right, I’m going to exercise it.'"
California native Josefine Green said she’s only been in Tennessee for about a year, but is serious about the importance of voting regardless.
“I really primarily came out to vote for Jerri Green.
I really agree with most of her policies ― I think that abortion access is super important, I think that she’s going to do things for the LGBTQ community, and those are values that I really hold close to my heart.”
While no particular candidates stood out to Andrea Knowles, she still intended to do her “due diligence” and get her vote in for the judges that she wanted as well as the mayoral race and sheriff.
The new congressional districts were also on her mind.
“That’s probably the biggest reason why I came out, because of the redistricting,” she said.
“I feel like, or I know, with the way they redrew the lines that they are trying to make Tennessee an all red state, Memphis is the last part… so for me it was a big deal to make sure I cast my vote.”
Marsha Blackburn rallies supporters in Memphis
Speaking at a breakfast event at the Shelby County GOP headquarters, Sen.
Marsha Blackburn expressed confidence she would win the Republican gubernatorial primary.
"Today is a big day, and it's our day to get everybody to the polls," she said.
"We're going to win."
Blackburn also spoke out against what she said was the spread of communism in elections across the county, drawing applause and cheers from the crowd.
"As your governor, I will never let Tennessee become New York or California," she added.
"Socialist policies end at the Tennessee state line."
When will there be election results in Shelby County?
Polls close at 7 p.m. and everyone who is in line at their assigned polling place by that time is allowed to vote.
Once the last person in line at all polling places has voted, the Shelby County Election Commission will start releasing early voting results.
Full results will come in throughout the night as precincts report to the election commission.
When did polls close?
Polls opened at 7 a.m.
Thursday and close at 7 p.m.
Everyone who is in line to vote at their correct polling place by 7 p.m. will be allowed to cast their ballot.
How do I find my polling place?
On election day, you must vote at your assigned precinct.
To find your assigned precinct, you can visit the Shelby County Election Commission website or type in your address on the Tennessee Secretary of State website .
You can also use the free GoVoteTN app to find your polling place and other information about elections.
Early voting location saw ballot issue
According to Shelby County Administrator of Elections Linda Phillips, early voting ended on Aug. 1 with more than 90,000 voters having cast their ballots in Shelby County.
Compared to 2016, that reflects a nearly 50,000-person increase in the number of people voting early.
However, Phillips said early voting ran into a snag at one location.
She said one voting machine at Christian Life Church, an early voting location in Bartlett, was missing four of the six judicial races meant to be on this year’s ballot.
Those four races were special elections to fill bench positions after judges retired or were promoted to an appellate court.
Phillips, during an Aug. 3 press conference, said “the late retirement by a judge, coupled with our already crowded candidate races, simply pushed our team beyond its capacity.”
Phillips did not say which judicial position that was, but the most recent retirement came in February this year when Division VIII Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft said he was leaving the bench.
She said 307 ballots were cast on the malfunctioning machine and, with no way to know who those voters are, Phillips said she expects legal challenges if the vote is close in those races.
The malfunctioning voting machine was pulled from the church, Phillips said, and election commission staff have been retesting all of their machines to ensure they all work on election day.
Of the ones that had been tested by Aug. 3, she said none showed irregularities.
How do I report an issue at a polling place in Shelby County?
To report any problems at polling places, such as voter intimidation, voter fraud or an issue with a voting machine, you can call the Shelby County Election Commission at 901-222-1200.
Concerns can also be reported to the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Division of Elections by calling 877-850-4959.
Tennesseans can also text "TN" to 45995 to use the Text to Report Voter Fraud system.
The United States Election Assistance Commission also has information on how to report misinformation or disinformation, voter intimidation or voter fraud to the appropriate federal authorities on this website
How do I find a sample ballot?
Voters can find a sample ballot for the primary on the Shelby County Election Commission website at electionsshelbytn.gov/upcoming-elections You can also find more information and copies of sample ballots in this story
What should I bring to vote in Tennessee?
Any of the following forms of ID may be used as a valid Tennessee ID, even if they are expired:
Tennessee driver's license with photo,
United States passport,
Photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security,
Photo ID issued by the federal or Tennessee state government,
United States military photo ID, or
Tennessee handgun carry permit with a photo.
Student IDs, non-U.S. citizen IDs, and out-of-state driver's licenses are not acceptable, according to the Tennessee Secretary of State.
What if I forget my ID?
If you forget your photo ID, then you will vote on a provisional ballot.
After that, you will have two business days after election day to return to the election commission office to show a valid photo ID.
At that time, you will sign an affidavit and a copy of your ID will be sent for review by the counting board.
Memphis election day weather
Thursday is expected to be mostly sunny with highs in the mid 90s, according to the National Weather Service Memphis office
Can I buy alcohol on election day?
Yes, you can buy alcohol in Tennessee on an election day.
According to the Municipal Technical Advisory Service affiliated with the University of Tennessee , "Neither the General Assembly nor the ABC have restricted election-day alcoholic beverage sales.
The only days that the state has prohibited alcohol and beer sales are for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter."
Are there other elections in 2026?
Yes.
Shelby County voters will have the opportunity to vote in the state and federal general election in November.
Several municipal races will also be on the ballot at that time.
Reporter Joel Haley and editor Kerri Bartlett contributed to this report.
If you have any questions about the Aug. 6 or any upcoming elections you want answered, email the Commercial Appeal metro team at metro@commercialappeal.com.
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