2023 Memphis mayoral election explained

Election Name:2023 Memphis mayoral election
Flag Image:Flag of Memphis, Tennessee.svg
Ongoing:no
Type:mayoral
Previous Election:2019 Memphis mayoral election
Previous Year:2019
Election Date:October 5, 2023
Next Election:2027 Memphis mayoral election
Next Year:2027
Image1:File:Paul Young 2023 (cropped).jpg
Candidate1:Paul Young
Popular Vote1:24,408
Percentage1:27.62%
Candidate2:Floyd Bonner
Popular Vote2:19,895
Percentage2:22.51%
Image4:Rudy Giuliani and Willie Herenton (47479766912) (closest crop.jpg
Candidate4:Willie Herenton
Popular Vote4:18,990
Percentage4:21.49%
Image5:3x4.svg
Candidate5:Van Turner
Popular Vote5:18,778
Percentage5:21.25%
Mayor
Before Election:Jim Strickland
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Paul Young
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)
Color1:73bc84
Color2:dc8c53
Color4:8da9e2
Color5:c88fe4
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Party4:Democratic Party (United States)
Party5:Democratic Party (United States)
Turnout:23.8% [1] 2.9 pp

The 2023 Memphis mayoral election took place on October 5, 2023, to elect the next mayor of Memphis, Tennessee. Incumbent Jim Strickland was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third term in office.[2] [3] [4] The election used the plurality vote system, with no possibility of a runoff. The election was officially non-partisan, but several candidates were affiliated with political parties.[5]

Municipal government official Paul Young won the election, with all other major candidates conceding on the night of the election. Young prevailed with a low plurality of the vote against numerous other candidates, including Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, former mayor Willie Herenton, and former Shelby County commission chair Van Turner.[6]

Background

Ordinance 5823

Memphis law states that mayors can only serve two terms. However, the Memphis City Council voted to put an ordinance on the ballot that, if passed, would extend the limit to three terms. Incumbent mayor Jim Strickland expressed interest in running for a third term if Memphis voters approved the ordinance.[2] [3] The ordinance was decided on August 4, 2022, the same day as Tennessee's regularly-scheduled primary elections. Voters overwhelmingly rejected it, keeping the two-term limit in place and barring Strickland from seeking re-election.[4]

Memphis Ordinance 5823[7]
ChoiceVotes%
Against52,58266.27%
For26,75933.73%
Total votes79,341100.00%

Early voting

Early voting ran from September 16, 2023 to September 30, 2023. Turnout was the highest since 2007, with 57,951 votes being submitted. This compares to 52,718 early votes in 2019 and 51,840 in 2015.[8]

Candidates

Declared

The following 17 candidates are on the ballot:[9]

Withdrawn

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
Floyd
Bonner
Joe
Brown
Karen
Camper
Frank
Colvett
J.W.
Gibson
Willie
Herenton
Michelle
McKissack
Van
Turner
Paul
Young
Undecided
Hart ResearchSept. 5-7 2023-± 5%19%4%1%-5%13%3%9%20%23%
Emerson CollegeAugust 11-13 2023600 (LV)± 3.9%10%10%≤1%-5%16%3%7%14%26%
HIT StrategiesMay 2023400 (LV)± 4.9%9%4%1%4%1%13%2%9%8%48%
Caissa Public StrategyMay 2023600 (LV)± 4.0%15%9%3%3%3%15%6%17%8%21%
Caissa Public StrategyFebruary 20231,000 (LV)± 4.7%15%3%4%3%2%14%4%16%12%13%

Campaign finance

2022-2023 Campaign Finance Reporting[29] [30]
CandidateTotal ReceiptsTotal DisbursementsCash on HandLoans Outstanding
Floyd Bonner$757,346$600,102$157,244$34,951
Karen Camper$125,567$109,716$15,851$4,500
Frank Colvett$157,450$125,924$31,526$0
J.W. Gibson$401,473$398,380$3,093$300,000
Willie Herenton$105,293$54,652$50,641$0
Michelle McKissack$155,957$133,434$22,523$25,000
Van Turner$564,435$450,790$133,645$0
Paul Young$1,059,250$855,283$203,967$0

See also

External links

Official campaign websites

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Turnout Shelby County Election Commission, TN . 2024-01-17 . www.electionsshelbytn.gov.
  2. Web site: May 26, 2022 . Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland considering running for third term, if city council extends term limits . July 4, 2022 . localmemphis.com . en-US.
  3. News: Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland will 'seriously consider' possibility of a third-term . July 4, 2022 . . Hardiman . Samuel . May 24, 2022 . live . limited . https://web.archive.org/web/20220526022356/https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2022/05/24/memphis-mayor-jim-strickland-considers-third-term/9919129002/ . May 26, 2022.
  4. Web site: After hours-long delay, the results are in | Here's a look at who won Shelby County's hot races . August 5, 2022 .
  5. Web site: Memphis Municipal Election 10.5.2023 Shelby County Election Commission, TN . 2023-08-14 . www.electionsshelbytn.gov.
  6. News: . October 5, 2023 . October 5, 2023 . Paul Young claims victory in Memphis mayoral election. Anderson . Courtney .
  7. Web site: State and Federal Primary and County General . December 17, 2022 . August 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220820194018/https://results.electionsshelbytn.gov/ . bot: unknown .
  8. Web site: Early voting total highest since 2007 Memphis elections . 2023-10-02 . Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News Daily Memphian . en.
  9. Web site: City of Memphis Municipal Election, October 5, 2023 . . 1 August 2023.
  10. Web site: Henry . Wiley . 2023-03-09 . Memphis Meeting to Discuss a Third Political Party Draws Scant Support for Now . 2023-08-14 . The Tennessee Tribune . en-US.
  11. Web site: Here's who else is running to be Memphis' next mayor . 2023-09-05 . Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News Daily Memphian . en.
  12. News: Floyd Bonner will run for Memphis mayor . October 25, 2022 . Hardiman . Samuel . . https://web.archive.org/web/20221205184258/https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/politics/2022/10/25/shelby-county-sheriff-floyd-bonner-to-run-for-memphis-mayor/69588109007/ . December 5, 2022 . live . limited.
  13. Web site: More to Come .
  14. Web site: Here's who else is running to be Memphis' next mayor . 2023-09-05 . Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News Daily Memphian . en.
  15. Web site: TN House Minority Leader Karen Camper announces run for Memphis mayor.
  16. News: Businessman J.W. Gibson II planning run for Memphis mayor . Hardiman. Samuel. The Commercial Appeal. December 15, 2022 . live. limited. https://web.archive.org/web/20230314122220/https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2022/12/15/businessman-j-w-gibson-planning-run-for-memphis-mayor/69732246007/. March 14, 2023.
  17. Web site: Here's who else is running to be Memphis' next mayor . 2023-09-05 . Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News Daily Memphian . en.
  18. News: 1 August 2023 . Memphis Flyer . Jackson . Going the Distance . Baker . 8 March 2023.
  19. News: Former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton announces bid to return to office . Finton . Lucas . February 6, 2023 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230314123823/https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2023/02/06/former-memphis-mayor-willie-herenton-announces-new-bid-for-mayor/69878726007/ . March 14, 2023 . live . limited.
  20. News: MSCS board member Michelle McKissack makes it official: She’s running for Memphis mayor.
  21. Web site: Michelle McKissack for Memphis Mayor — ActBlue.
  22. Web site: Here's who else is running to be Memphis' next mayor . 2023-09-05 . Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News Daily Memphian . en.
  23. Web site: Here's who else is running to be Memphis' next mayor . 2023-09-05 . Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News Daily Memphian . en.
  24. Web site: Shelby County Commissioner Van Turner confirms he is running for mayor .
  25. Web site: Here's who else is running to be Memphis' next mayor . 2023-09-05 . Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News Daily Memphian . en.
  26. News: Paul Young, a longtime public servant, will run for Memphis mayor in 2023 . Hardiman . Samuel . September 1, 2022 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926000304/https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2022/09/01/paul-young-memphis-mayor-race-2022-mayoral-election/7932467001/ . September 26, 2022 . live . limited.
  27. Web site: Paul Young for Memphis Mayor — ActBlue.
  28. Web site: Frank Colvett drops out of mayor's race, says field is too crowded . 2023-07-27 . Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News Daily Memphian . en.
  29. Web site: Financial Disclosures Shelby County Election Commission, TN . 2023-07-27 . www.electionsshelbytn.gov.
  30. Web site: Four mayoral candidates spent $1.76M combined over summer . 2023-10-02 . Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News Daily Memphian . en.