2015 Memphis mayoral election
The 2015 Memphis mayoral election took place on October 8, 2015 to elect the Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee. The mayoral election coincided with elections for the thirteen seats on the Memphis City Council.
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| Elections in Tennessee |
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 Government |
The election was officially nonpartisan, with all candidates running together, regardless of party. Due to the 1991 ruling of U.S. District Judge Jerome Turner, there is no runoff allowed in citywide elections.
Incumbent Democratic Mayor A C Wharton ran for re-election to a second full term in office.[1][2] He was defeated by Memphis City Councilman Jim Strickland, a fellow Democrat, who earned a plurality of the vote and became the first white mayor of Memphis in more than two decades.
Candidates
Declared
- Harold Collins, Memphis City Councillor[3]
- Jim Strickland, Chairman of the Memphis City Council[4]
- A C Wharton, incumbent Mayor[1][2]
- Mike Williams, President of the Memphis Police Association[5][6]
Potential/Withdrew
- Steve Basar, Shelby County Commissioner[7][8]
- Carol Chumney, former State Representative, former Memphis City Councillor and candidate for Mayor in 2007 and 2009[2][9]
- Justin Ford, Shelby County Commissioner and member of the Ford family[10][11]
- Detric Golden, former University of Memphis basketball player[12][13]
- James Harvey, former Shelby County Commissioner and candidate for Mayor in 2011[14][7]
- Kenneth Whalum, minister, former School Board member, candidate for Mayor in 2011 and candidate for Mayor of Shelby County in 2014[14][7]
Declined
- Edmund Ford, Sr., Memphis City Councillor and candidate for Mayor in 2011[15]
- Myron Lowery, Memphis City Councillor, former Mayor pro tempore and candidate for Mayor in 2009[7]
General Election
A C Wharton was first elected Mayor of Memphis in a 2009 special election following the resignation of Mayor Willie Herenton; he was elected to a full term in 2011. As mayor, Wharton oversaw the city's response to the 2009 recession and subsequent budget cuts.
Wharton defended his record as mayor, but faced criticism from his challengers on Memphis' high crime rates, slow economic growth, and Wharton's benefits cuts to city workers. Strickland painted himself as a "law and order" candidate and promised to crack down on violent crime in the city, while Harold Collins called for a data-based approach to crime and for increased job training for Memphis residents.[16] [17]
On Election Day, Strickland defeated Wharton by nearly twenty percentage points, winning a plurality of the vote.[18]
| Candidate | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Strickland | 41.3% | 42,020 |
| A C Wharton (incumbent) | 22.1% | 22,290 |
| Harold B. Collins | 18.5% | 18,767 |
| Mike Williams | 16.1% | 16,388 |
| Sharon A. Webb | 0.6% | 610 |
| M. Latroy Williams | 0.4% | 413 |
| Anderson Fullilove, Jr. | 0.4% | 369 |
| Robert Hodges | 0.2% | 240 |
| David Phillip Walker, Jr. | 0.2% | 171 |
| Leo Awgowhat | 0.1% | 119 |
| Write-ins | 0.1% | 92 |
References
- "Wharton to Run for Re-election". MyFoxMemphis. August 29, 2012. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- Greg Coy (November 18, 2014). "Wharton Raising Funds For Re-Election Bid". MyFoxMemphis. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- "Harold Collins Confirms His Run For Mayor". MyFoxAustin. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- Jackson Baker (January 15, 2015). "The Wait is Over: Strickland Announces Candidacy for Mayor". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
- "MPA President Considering Run For Memphis Mayor". MyFoxAustin. December 19, 2014. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- "Police union president announces bid for mayor". WREG. February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
- Jackson Baker (October 30, 2014). "Election Year 2015 is Upon Us". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- Jackson Baker (October 9, 2014). "Harold Collins On Verge of Declaring for 2015 Memphis Mayor's Race". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- Bill Dries (November 18, 2014). "Wharton Begins Re-Election Fundraising". The Daily News. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- Kyle Veazey (December 18, 2014). "Justin Ford considering run for mayor of Memphis". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- Jackson Baker (February 9, 2015). "Commission Chairman Justin Ford Says He'll Run for Mayor". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- Bill Dries (February 3, 2015). "Size of Mayoral Field Shadows Race". The Daily News. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- Alexandra Pusateri (June 19, 2015). "Get to Know a Candidate: Detric Golden for Mayor". The New Southern. Archived from the original on June 29, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- Mike Matthews (December 18, 2014). "Has The Unofficial Race For Mayor Already Begun?". Local Memphis. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- Bill Dries (November 25, 2013). "As Elections End, New Campaigns Begin". The Daily News. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- "Strickland Upsets Wharton In Memphis Mayor's Race". Memphis Daily News. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- "Postmortem reports on the demise of A C Wharton as Memphis mayor". Humphrey on the Hill. 2015-10-09. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- "Memphis City Election 10.8.2015 | Shelby County Election Commission, TN". www.shelbyvote.com. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
External links
- Official campaign websites