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Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for almost 50 years covering a wide variety of stories from the 1977 death of Elvis Presley and the 1978 police and fire strikes to numerous political campaigns, every county mayor and every Memphis Mayor starting with Wyeth Chandler.
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This year marks the highest early-voting turnout since 2010 for the congressional midterm election cycle. After early voting issues, voting machines being tested before Election DayRelated content:
Moving money to the redevelopment of the Southwest Twin Drive-in, final votes on two November ballot questions, a first vote on short-term rental rules and some complex bond restructures are on Tuesday’s City Council agendas.
An early voting problem was traced to a single voting machine in Bartlett that more than 300 voters used, which could lead to lawsuits challenging election results.
A single voting machine in Bartlett and a single polling official are blamed for the problem that arose earlier with absentee ballots.
The Republican primary for Governor includes battling polls and a look at post primary unity — the hopes, and the reality.
Saturday is the last day to vote early in advance of the Aug. 6 Election Day. Here are some numbers about where turnout appears to be going locally and statewide.
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is considering a rehab of the old Memphis Police Department headquarters building as a new home for Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court. But Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon isn’t a fan of the idea.
A warning from District Attorney General Steve Mulroy about misleading endorsement ballots is the latest chapter in the tale of a unique Memphis political institution.
Shelby County commissioners also heard a call from Juvenile Court officials for a complete replacement of the court building and approved a manufactured-housing park in Frayser.
Shelby County commissioners vote Monday on a $125 million line of credit from two sources to deal with the county’s ongoing cash-flow crisis, an emergency fix for the air conditioning issues at the county jail and more.
The Daily Memphian analyzes the first six days of early voting data within the three new congressional districts that split Shelby County and the race for Tennessee governor.
The marker unveiled Wednesday is about the past but also the present push to restore and renovate the Klondike area where Lee lived out his life after he saved the lives of 32 people on the Mississippi River in 1925.
Election officials talk on “Behind The Headlines” about the disruption of new congressional districts and how that could lead to an increase in voter turnout.
Brad Less, the Republican nominee for Shelby County sheriff, talked on “Behind The Headlines” about immediate solutions to problems at the Shelby County Jail and life after the Memphis Safe Task Force.
John DeBerry, the Republican nominee for Shelby County mayor, talked on “Behind The Headlines” about state intervention in Memphis and Shelby County as well as his hopes for a gradual withdrawal of the Memphis Safe Task Force.
Anthony Buckner talked about immigration and the Memphis Safe Task Force as well as a new jail in a wide-ranging interview on “Behind The Headlines”.
Democratic nominee for County Mayor Mickell Lowery talked about state intervention, his vote to raise county property taxes and tax breaks as economic development incentives on “Behind The Headlines.”
The Memphis City Council also approved a change to the city’s structure for the trustee status MATA is currently operating under.
The Memphis City Council will act on the appointments for the city’s CFO and CAO and take final votes to add a pair of city charter change referendums to the Nov. 3 ballot for Memphis voters to decide.
Plus, GOP gubernatorial candidates push to change Tennessee constitution for tougher control over Memphis courts and the Memphis Safe Task Force.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young signed an executive order that puts in place up to six weeks of fully paid leave for full-time city employees following the birth, adoption or fostering of a child.
Most of the early and absentee votes in the first two days of the ongoing early voting period were cast in Democratic state and federal primaries.
Local Democrats closed out their candidate forums for the city’s three newly drawn congressional districts in, while a Millington event drew a Republican nominee for county mayor and videos from two contenders for governor.
Two fatal Memphis Safe Task Force shootings in four days have returned the federal presence to the campaign spotlight as an issue.
The most complex ballot of the three 2026 Shelby County elections begins early voting Friday. President Donald Trump and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have both endorsed candidates in the 9th Congressional District race.