In this issue
- Election Day arrives
- Honoring blood donors
- Lakeland Safety TIF
- Juvenile Court dispute
Election Day arrives
Tuesday is Election Day and the last chance to cast a ballot if you weren’t among the 257,715 Shelby County residents who voted early or absentee.
The federal offices being decided are President, Senator and Representative. State Senate and House seats are also on the ballot, as well as municipal positions in Bartlett, Lakeland and other cities around the county.
If you need information about the election or help finding your polling place, please visit the Shelby County Election Commission’s website, electionsshelbytn.gov.
This is the fifth election in Shelby County using the current system in which every vote is recorded on a paper ballot.
The system was selected by a Republican-led election commission, from options approved by a Republican-led state government, authorized and funded by a bi-partisan vote on the county commission, and trusted by officials from both parties.
This system has been used to elect and/or nominate:
- The mayor of Memphis
- The Memphis City Council
- Shelby County officials
- Suburban mayors and aldermen
- State Reps and Senators
- U.S. Representatives
- U.S. Presidential candidates
And while all votes in Shelby County are now cast using paper ballots, you do have a choice in how to make your selections.
As depicted in the photos above, the first step in the process is selecting how you wish to mark your ballot — by machine, or by hand.
If you choose to use a machine, you will receive a paper ballot, make your selections on the screen, hit print, and feed it into the scanner.
If you choose to make selections by hand, you will receive a paper ballot, make your selections with a writing instrument, and feed it into the scanner.
Happy voting.
Honoring blood donors
I was pleased to join my friends at Vitalant for a recent luncheon celebrating the organization’s outstanding blood drive coordinators.
Pictured above are members of the BALD (Bartlett, Arlington and Lakeland donor) council who took home awards.
Among the awardees were the following individuals.
Blood Drive Coordinator of the Year:
Rhonda Mayo, Bartlett Woods Church of Christ
Retired Blood Drive Coordinator:
Sharon Drewry, Bartlett High School
Faith-Based Blood Drive Coordinators of the Year:
Dan Shappard and Bill Lee, Oliver Creek Church of Christ
Marty Chapman, Sycamore View Church of Christ
In addition, a member of my extended family was recognized for his individual contributions as a donor. Dan Shappard is a member of the Century Club, which honors donors for their lifetime donations. Dan has reached the Platinum Level with 500+ donations!
Before we leave this topic, here’s a humble suggestion. If you voted early, consider visiting the blood donor center on Election Day. Thanks in advance for saving a life.
Lakeland Safety TIF
This month I was pleased to sponsor a resolution in support of another key development in Lakeland. The Lakeland Safety TIF, and another project in Arlington, recently won approval by majority vote of the Shelby County Commission. Below are a couple of media articles about the new TIF districts.
- Lakeland Approved by Shelby County Commission for Fourth TIF District
- TIF, TIF: County Commission approves suburban tax incentives
Juvenile Court dispute
As I mentioned in July, two divisions of Shelby County government are on a collision course over operations at Juvenile Court and the youth detention center.
The Daily Memphian’s Julia Baker has the latest update, writing, “After nearly a year’s worth of disputes, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and Shelby County Juvenile Court continue to be at loggerheads over their duties regarding juveniles.”
Efforts to bring these elected officials to the table are ongoing, and I am committed to doing everything I can to find a solution that works for both parties.
Upcoming meetings
Nov 13 — Standing Committee Meetings, 8:30 a.m.
Nov 18 — Commission meeting, 3 p.m.
Dec 11 — Standing Committee Meetings, 8:30 a.m.
Dec 16 — Commission meeting, 3 p.m.
Puppy adoption update
We picked a simple costume for Halo, who dressed as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog for Halo-ween. Capturing the perfect photo was not as simple.
Stay in touch
If you have a question or concern, email me at mick.wright@shelbycountytn.gov.
You can speak with the Commission office by calling 901-222-1000.
I welcome your feedback on Facebook @CommissionerMickWright and X @mickwright.
Thanks for reading.
Mick Wright
Shelby County Commission – District 3