ELECTION GUIDE: Presidential, state and local races, Nov. 5, 2024

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

The two major candidates in the race – Vice President Kamala Harris (D) and former President Donald Trump (R) – are on the ballot in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas.

Among third party and independent candidates, Green Party nominee Jill Stein and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. are the only ones who are on the ballot in all three states – even though Kennedy has officially dropped out of the race.

Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver and American Solidarity Party nominee Peter Sonski are on the ballots in Mississippi and Arkansas. Both Oliver and Sonski are also registered as write-in candidates in Tennessee.

Claudia De la Cruz , the nominee for the Party for Socialism and Liberation, is on the ballot in Tennessee and Mississippi.

Tennessee’s ballot also includes independent candidate Jay Bowman and Socialist Workers Party nominee Rachele Fruit .

Independent candidate Shiva Ayyadurai and Constitution Party nominee Randall Terry are on the ballot in Mississippi.

Prohibition Party nominee Michael Wood is on the ballot in Arkansas.

TENNESSEE GENERAL ELECTION

CONGRESSIONAL RACES

U.S. SENATE
I ncumbent Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn is being challenged by Democratic State Sen. Gloria Johnson and independent candidates Tharon Chandler, Pamela Moses and Hastina Robinson.

Blackburn was first elected back in 2018 after serving 15 years in the U.S. House, representing Tennessee’s 7 ^th District.

Johnson has been in the Tennessee House since 2012, serving District 90 in Knoxville. She rose to national fame in 2023 after surviving an expulsion vote in the General Assembly.

U.S. HOUSE – DISTRICT 8
In District 8, incumbent Rep. David Kustoff being challenged by Democrat Sarah Freeman and independent candidate James Hart.

Kustoff was first elected to represent District 8 back in 2016. Before that, he served as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee from 2006 to 2008.

Freeman is from Germantown and is an educator and mother. She has served on the executive committees for both the Shelby County Democratic Party and the Tennessee Democratic Party.

U.S. HOUSE – DISTRICT 9
Longtime Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen is facing three challengers – Republican Charlotte Bergmann and independent candidates Wendell Blankenship and Dennis Clark.

Cohen was first elected in District 9 back in 2006. Before that, he served 23 years in the Tennessee Senate and was on the Shelby County Commission in the late 1970’s.

This is the fourth time Bergmann has been the GOP nominee in District 9. She lost to Cohen in 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2022.

TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 30 – SHELBY COUNTY
Democratic Sen. Sara Kyle is being challenged by independent candidate Mitchell Morrison .

Kyle was first elected in 2014, replacing her husband Jim Kyle – who is currently a Chancery Court Judge in Shelby County. She previously served on the Tennessee Regulatory Authority.

We were not able to find any information about Morrison online.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 80 – HARDEMAN, HAYWOOD, MADISON COUNTIES
Longtime Rep. Johnny Shaw (D) is being challenged by Republican Brad Grantham .

Shaw was first elected in District 80 back in 2000. This is his first primary challenge since 2016.

Grantham is currently serving as a county commissioner in Hardeman County.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 83 – SHELBY COUNTY
Republican Rep. Mark White is being challenged by Democrat Noah Nordstrom .

White was first elected back in 2010. He has a background in education — serving as a science teacher and principal at Harding Academy.

Nordstrom is an educator – who has worked as a Spanish teacher at Overton High School.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 86 – SHELBY COUNTY
Democratic Rep. Justin J. Pearson is being challenged by independent candidate Jeff Johnston .

Pearson was elected in 2023 to replace the late Rep. Barbara Cooper. He was one of two Democratic lawmakers expelled from the General Assembly in April 2023 – but he was subsequently reappointed and reelected.

Johnston previously ran against Pearson in the August 2023 special election.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 88 – SHELBY COUNTY
Longtime District 88 Rep. Larry Miller (D) is being challenged by Republican Larry Hunter .

Miller was first elected in 1994 and is a retired firefighter for the City of Memphis.

Hunter is a pastor and the director of Touched by an Angel, a non-profit organization.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 93 – SHELBY COUNTY
Longtime District 93 Rep. G.A. Hardaway Sr. (D) is being challenged by Republican Renarda Clariett.

Hardaway was first elected to serve District 93 back in 2006. He is a real estate investor.

We were not able to find any information about Clariett online.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 94 – FAYETTE, HARDEMAN, McNAIRY COUNTIES
Republican Rep. Ron Gant is being challenged by Democrat Terry Saine .

Gant was first elected back in 2016 and is an insurance agent. He previously served as a county commissioner in Fayette County.

Saine previously ran for the District 94 seat back in 2018 – but lost to Gant.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 97 – SHELBY COUNTY
Republican Rep. John Gillespie is being challenged by Democrat Jesse Huseth .

Gillespie was first elected in 2020. Before joining the General Assembly, he worked as the grant coordinator at Trezevant Episcopal Home. He also worked in the banking industry.

Huseth is a business owner and a former teacher with Shelby County Schools.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 98 – SHELBY COUNTY
Democratic Rep. Antonio Parkinson is being challenged by Republican Cecil Hale.

Parkinson was first elected back in 2011 and is a retired Shelby County firefighter. He is also a Marine Corps. veteran.

We were not able to find out any information about Hale online.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 99 – SHELBY COUNTY
Republican Rep. Tom Leatherwood is facing a challenge from independent candidate William Mouzon.

Leatherwood was first elected to the General Assembly in 2018. He previously served in the Tennessee Senate from 1992 to 2000 – then spent 18 years as Shelby County Register of Deeds.

Mouzon is a network engineer and a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

UNCONTESTED RACES

SENATE DISTRICT 26 | Sen. Page Walley (R)

SENATE DISTRICT 32 | Sen. Paul Rose (R)

HOUSE DISTRICT 77 | Rep. Rusty Grills (R)

HOUSE DISTRICT 81 | Rep. Debra Moody (R)

HOUSE DISTRICT 82 | Rep. Chris Hurt (R)

HOUSE DISTRICT 84 | Rep. Joe Towns (D)

HOUSE DISTRICT 85 | Rep. Jesse Chism (D)

HOUSE DISTRICT 87 | Rep. Karen Camper (D)

HOUSE DISTRICT 91 | Rep. Torrey Harris (D)

HOUSE DISTRICT 95 | Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R)

HOUSE DISTRICT 96 | Gabby Salinas (D)

MISSISSIPPI GENERAL ELECTION

CONGRESSIONAL RACES

U.S. SENATE
Republican Sen. Roger Wicker is being challenged by Democrat Ty Pinkins.

Wicker was first appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2007 following the retirement of Sen. Trent Lott.

He previously served 12 years in the U.S. House and seven years in the Mississippi Senate.

Pinkins is a lawyer and an Army veteran. He was the Democratic nominee for Mississippi Secretary of State in 2023.

U.S. HOUSE – DISTRICT 1
Republican Congressman Trent Kelly is facing a challenge from Democrat Dianne Black.

Kelly was first elected back in 2015.

Black previously ran for the District 1 seat back in 2022. She also ran for Mississippi Senate in 2019.

U.S. HOUSE – DISTRICT 2
Longtime Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson is being challenged by Republican Ron Eller.

Thompson has been serving as District 2’s congressman since 1993.

Eller previously ran for the District 2 seat in 2022 – but lost in the GOP primary to Brian Flowers.

JUDICIAL RACES

There are three judicial races in North Mississippi.

Supreme Court Justices Robert Chamberlin and Jimmy Maxwell and Court of Appeals Judge Latrice Westbrooks are all running unopposed.

ARKANSAS GENERAL ELECTION

CONGRESSIONAL RACES

U.S. HOUSE – DISTRICT 1
Current District 1 Representative Rick Crawford is being challenged by Democrat Rodney Govens and Libertarian candidate Steve Parsons .

Crawford is seeking his seventh term. He was first elected in 2010.

Govens is a U.S. Army veteran and works as an operations manager in the telecommunications industry.

Parsons is a retired consultant and former professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

SPECIAL ELECTION

STATE TREASURER
Three candidates are running in the special election for Arkansas State Treasurer.

Republican John Thurston is currently serving as Arkansas Secretary of State. He was elected to that position in 2018 after spending eight years as Commissioner of State Lands.

Democrat John Pagan is a former Arkansas state senator and former professor of law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Richmond.

Libertarian candidate Dr. Michael Pakko is an economist – who currently serves as the Chief Economist and State Economic Forecaster at the Arkansas Economic Development Institute at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Current Treasurer Larry Walther — who was appointed to the position in 2023 following the death of Mark Lowery – is not running in the election.

ARKANSAS BALLOT INITIATIVES

ISSUE 1 – LOTTERY PROCEEDS
Issue 1 would allow the state to use proceeds from the state lottery to fund scholarships and grants for vocational-technical schools and technical institutes.

ISSUE 2 – CASINO LICENSES
Issue 2 would repeal the authorization for a casino license in Pope County and require countywide voter approval for any new casino licenses.

ARKANSAS LEGISLATURE

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 34 – MISSISSIPPI COUNTY
Republican Rep. Joey Carr is being challenged by Democrat Desmond Hammett.

Carr was first elected in 2022 and is an educator. He currently serves as the principal of Armorel Elementary School in Mississippi County.

Hammett owns a property management company and serves on the Blytheville School Board.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 35 – CRITTENDEN AND CROSS COUNTIES
Two candidates are running in the race to replace Rep. Milton Nicks, Jr. in District 35.

Republican Robert Thorne Jr. of Marion currently serves on the Crittenden County Quorum Court and is a board member for Mending Heart Child Safety Center of Eastern Arkansas.

Democrat Jessie McGruder works for the West Memphis School District as a football, basketball and track coach at Wonder Junior High School.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 36 – POINSETT COUNTY
Republican Rep. Johnny Rye is being challenged by Democrat Daniel Parker in District 36.

Rye was first elected to the Arkansas House in 2016 after serving 25 years as Poinsett County Assessor.

Parker is a senior researcher for Digital Promise, a non-profit education research and development organization.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 37 – CROSS, POINSETT AND ST. FRANCIS COUNTIES
Longtime Republican State Rep. Steve Hollowell is being challenged by Democrat Lisa Head .

Hollowell was first elected in 2016. He previously served as a Forrest City alderman.

Head lives in Wynne and is a retired teacher.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 62 – LEE, PHILLIPS AND ST. FRANCIS COUNTIES
In a repeat of the 2022 election, longtime Republican State Rep. Mark McElroy of Tillar is running against Democrat Dexter Miller .

McElroy was first elected in 2012 as a Democrat – but switched to independent in 2018 and lost his seat. He won it back in 2020 after switching to the Republican Party.

Miller is from Helena-West Helena and is a digital learning specialist for the Great Rivers Education Service Cooperative. He previously ran for the seat in 2022.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 63 – CRITTENDEN AND ST. FRANCIS COUNTIES
Two candidates are running in the race to replace Rep. Deborah Ferguson in District 63.

Democrat Lincoln Barnett is a minister who currently serves as the mayor of Hughes. He previously served on Hughes School Board before the district was consolidated with West Memphis.

Republican Tammi Bell of West Memphis is a mother and small business owner.

UNCONTESTED RACES

SENATE DISTRICT 19 | Sen. Dave Wallace (R)

HOUSE DISTRICT 33 | Rep. Jon Milligan (R)

HOUSE DISTRICT 38 | Rep. Dwight Tosh (R)

ARKANSAS JUDICIAL RUNOFF ELECTION

ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT
Justices Karen Baker and Rhonda Wood are running to replace John Dan Kemp as the new Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Justice Baker is from Clinton and was first elected to the Supreme Court in 2010. She previously served as a judge for the Arkansas Court of Appeals and the 20 ^th Circuit Court.

Justice Wood is from Conway and was first elected to the Supreme Court in 2014. Like Justice Baker, Wood also served as a judge for the Arkansas Court of Appeals and the 20 ^th Circuit Court.

LOCAL ELECTIONS

Several towns and cities in Tennessee and Arkansas are holding municipal elections.

We also have county quorum court elections in Arkansas and some school board and election commission elections on the ballot in Mississippi.

MEMPHIS

In Memphis, there are no elected offices on the ballot – but there are multiple referendums.

Referendum Ordinance No. 5908 asks Memphis voters three questions about gun-related amendments to the city’s charter.

• The first question would require handgun carry permits for all people carrying guns in the city. It would also ban people from carrying, storing or traveling with a handgun in Memphis without a permit and add rules for the storage of guns and ammunition in motor vehicles and boats.

• The second question would ban assault weapons – with an exception for people with valid handgun permits on their privately owned property or at a shooting range. It would also ban the commercial sale of assault rifles in the city – with certain exceptions.

• The third question would set rules for extreme risk protection orders – involving people who are determined by a court to be “in possession or receipt of a firearm and will pose a significant danger or extreme risk of personal injury or death to another person or to himself or herself.”

Referendum Ordinance No. 5884 asks Memphis voters if they want the city charter to be amended to allow runoff elections for Memphis mayor.

Referendum Ordinance No. 5893 asks voters if the city charter should be amended to allow the City Council to set the salaries of the Mayor, City Council, Chief Administrative Officer and appointed directors and deputy directors.

Referendum Ordinance No. 5913 seeks to amend the city charter to put new age and residency rules in effect for the office of Mayor and City Council seats. It also would repeal any previous qualifications established for the office of Mayor.

BARTLETT

In Bartlett, there are six races on the ballot – three seats on the Board of Aldermen and three seats on the Bartlett Municipal School Board.

There’s only one contested race – incumbent Alderman Kevin Quinn is being challenged by Kenneth Hayes and Josh McNeil .

Incumbent Aldermen Monique Williams and Jack Young are running unopposed.
School Board members Brad Ratliff, Shirley Jackson and David Cook are also running unopposed.

COLLIERVILLE

In Collierville, there are seven races on the ballot – including mayor, two seats on the Board of Aldermen and four seats on the Collierville School Board.

In the mayor’s race , two members of the Board of Aldermen – Maureen Fraser and Billy Patton are running to replace longtime Mayor Stan Joyner .

Three candidates – Chad Lindsay, Elizabeth Parr and Nick Robins – are running for the open Position 3 seat on the Board of Aldermen . John Worley is not seeking re-election.

In Position 5, Alderman John Stamps is being challenged by Jason Lederfine .

In the school board races, incumbent Wanda Gibbs is being challenged by Rachelle Maier for Position 1.

Tom Bailey and Jeremy Smith are running against incumbent Charles Green for the Position 4 seat.

Two other incumbents – Paul Childers and Wright Cox – are running unopposed.

GERMANTOWN

In Germantown, there are six races on the ballot – including three seats on the Board of Aldermen and three seats on the Germantown School Board.

In the Board of Aldermen races, incumbents Sherrie Hicks and Brian Ueleke are running unopposed.

Tony Salvaggio is also running unopposed for the open Position 5 seat being vacated by Alderman Jon McCreery.

In the school board races, Andy Ellis and Vicki Gandee are running for the open Position 5 seat being vacated by longtime GMSD board member Amy Eoff – who is not running for re-election.

Incumbents Ryan Strain and Brian Curry are running unopposed.

LAKELAND

In Lakeland, there are no contested races.

Incumbent Commissioner Jim Atkinson and Derek Johnston are running unopposed. Johnston will replace Commissioner Wesley Wright – who did not run for re-election.

Lakeland School Board members Jeremy Burnett and Michelle Childs are also running unopposed.

MILLINGTON

In Millington, there are eight races on the ballot – including mayor, three seats on the Board of Aldermen and four seats on the Millington Municipal School Board.

In the mayor’s race, Alderman Larry Dagen and Cary Vaughn are running to replace Mayor Terry Jones – who is stepping down after 12 years.

Alderman Thomas McGhee is being challenged by David Terrell for his Position 5 seat.
In Position 6, Taylor Ellis is challenging Alderman Don Lowry .

In Position 7, Alderman Mike Caruthers is facing two challengers – John Perales and Charles Reed.

There are two open seats on the Millington Municipal School Board. Theresa Cook, Stephen Graham and Marie Thomas are running in Position 1. Barbara Gray and Kendra Lawler are running for the Position 3 seat.

Incumbents Barbara Halliburton and Christopher Denson are running unopposed.

WEST MEMPHIS

In West Memphis, there are five City Council races on the ballot.

Ward 1 Councilman Tracy Catt is being challenged by Jessica Burns and Alfreda Robinson .

In Ward 2, Councilwoman Melanie Hutchinson is running unopposed.

Ward 3 Councilman Wayne Croom is being challenged by Joseph Tucker Jr.

In Ward 4, Tyrone McWright is running against Councilman David Murray.

Ward 5 Councilman Willis Mondy is being challenged by Al Felton .

WYNNE

The city of Wynne will be closely watching the results of the mayoral recall referendum .

As WREG reported back in August, a group known as “Always a Jacket” led a successful petition drive to get the recall of Mayor Jennifer Hobbs on the ballot.

CRITTENDEN COUNTY

Crittenden County has a couple of contested races – including two seats on the County’s Quorum Court.

Republican Glen Sidney and Democrat Thula Thomas are running for the District 8 seat – while Republican Bradly Moore is running against incumbent Democrat James Fraley in District 10.

DESOTO COUNTY

There are a couple of contested races on the ballot in DeSoto County – including one seat on the DeSoto County Election Commission and one seat on the DeSoto County School Board.

Current District 5 Election Commissioner Republican David Ross is being challenged by Democrat Peggy Dobbins.

Two other election commissioners – Laura Edler and Chad Engelke – are running unopposed.

In the school board races, District 4 incumbent Shelia Riley is being challenged by Todd Mayo .

Incumbent Jerald Wheeler is running unopposed in District 3.

FAYETTE COUNTY

There are several municipal races on the ballot in Fayette County, including mayoral races in Somerville, Oakland and Moscow.

In Somerville, Mayor Ronnie Neill is being challenged by Jason Hamilton .

In Oakland, Vice Mayor Adrian Wiggins , Samone Dodson and Myron Massey are running to replace outgoing Mayor Mike Brown.

In Moscow, Mayor Brenda Mitchell is facing three challengers – Richard Allen , Crystal Banks and Kris Tims .

LAFAYETTE COUNTY

There are six races on the ballot in Lafayette County – including the special election for Justice Court Judge in the South District.

Seven candidates are running to replace longtime Judge Johnny McLarty – who died in an automobile crash last December.

There are also two contested races for the Lafayette County Election Commission and one contested race for the Lafayette County School Board.

TIPTON COUNTY

In Tipton County, voters countywide will be asked whether to legalize the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption.

There are also several contested municipal races on the ballot – including Brighton Mayor .

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