Correction: An earlier version of this report incorrectly stated that declared Shelby County mayoral candidate Rusty Qualls did not attend a forum of other candidates hosted by the Germantown Democratic Club on Nov. 4. Qualls was in the audience but stated that he was not invited to participate in the forum. The story has been updated to reflect this information.
Five Democratic candidates for Shelby County mayor outlined their platforms Tuesday, Nov. 4, in the first major forum of the 2026 primary season, staking out positions on education, crime, and major county projects.
The event, hosted by the Germantown Democratic Club at the Great Hall, drew hundreds of Shelby County residents, along with campaign workers, political staff and local officeholders.
County Chief Administrative Officer Harold Collins, Memphis City Council member JB Smiley Jr., Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk Heidi Kuhn, County Assessor Melvin Burgess Jr. and County Commissioner Mickell Lowery participated. A sixth declared Democrat, Rusty Qualls, was in the audience but stated he was not invited to participate in the discussion. Businessman J.W. Gibson, who announced his candidacy early this year and was expected to be in the mix, suspended his campaign in August, citing a need to spend more time with his family.
Health care and schools dominate discussion
Large-scale capital projects, including the new Regional One Health campus and the construction of new high schools in Frayser and Cordova, took center stage.
- Collins positioned himself as a continuity candidate, praising progress under outgoing Mayor Lee Harris. “I’ve been doing the work, and I’m ready to get the job done,” he said.
- Lowery, who supported the school and hospital funding on the County Commission, said communities suffer when closed schools are left vacant and should be re-purposed to prevent neighborhood blight. He said Shelby County can “thrive with the right leadership at the helm.”
- Kuhn and Burgess each raised concerns about transparency in the county’s budgeting process, arguing that residents deserve clearer, more accessible information.
Crime: five different approaches
When asked how to reduce crime, the candidates offered sharply different strategies.
- Lowery advocated conflict resolution and mental-health intervention for youth along with rehabilitation programs for people returning from incarceration. “If we don’t change the culture,” he said, “we won’t change the outcomes.”
- Smiley pointed to a strained relationship between the county mayor’s office and the sheriff, arguing that poor cooperation weakens public-safety efforts. He called crime a symptom of poverty and the shortage of affordable housing, labeling himself a “disrupter of the status quo.”
- Burgess proposed forming a mayor’s executive council to bring department heads and elected officials together to coordinate policy instead of working in silos. He said improving education and school funding is essential to long-term crime prevention.
- Kuhn said families need more support, especially women trying to reenter the workforce after incarceration. She argued that employment, stability and child care access reduce repeat offenses.
- Collins said the county has supported re-entry and food-security efforts, pointing to more than $2 million directed to programs that help returning citizens find jobs and to partnerships with Mid-South Food Bank. He said food insecurity among children makes crime worse, noting that nearly 50,000 Memphis-Shelby County Schools students experience hunger.
xAI data center sparks debate
The candidates also addressed the controversial xAI data center in South Memphis, where residents have raised questions about emissions, noise and the number of generators operating on site.
- Collins said air-quality rules for generator emissions are set at the federal level and that the Shelby County Health Department cannot regulate them independently. He said the project brings investment and jobs to the area, which is why he supports it.
- Kuhn opposed granting tax incentives to the company while the community’s concerns remain unresolved. “We can’t encourage companies we don’t trust to follow the rules,” she said, referring to questions about whether generators exceeded permitted levels of operation.
- Lowery said Memphis should study how cities such as Dallas and Atlanta have integrated large data centers without disrupting surrounding neighborhoods. He suggested Memphis could adopt similar safeguards, such as community impact agreements and environmental reporting.
- Smiley criticized the lack of public engagement, saying large industrial projects often end up in Black and brown neighborhoods without residents being notified or consulted.
- Burgess called for tighter oversight on economic incentives. He said companies that receive public benefits must “pay their fair share,” especially when schools are underfunded and teachers lack resources.
A lighter moment
The forum wasn’t all policy: Barbecue made its way into the conversation. When candidates named their favorite Memphis barbecue, Cozy Corner took three of the five votes and might have had a fourth if Kuhn wasn’t a vegetarian. Harold Collins gave a nod to Interstate Bar-B-Q.
Final contrasts
Despite overlapping priorities, closing remarks highlighted differences in leadership style:
- Collins promised continued momentum on Regional One and school construction, calling health care and youth services “foundational.”
- Lowery said voters are hiring someone to oversee a $1.6 billion budget, pledging pre-K access, mental-health resources and conflict-resolution programs in schools.
- Smiley said residents want government officials to “get it right,” vowing aggressive investment in education and housing.
- Kuhn said people should be able to “live, work and play” in Shelby County, citing 25 years of government experience.
- Burgess said the county must “pivot and do things differently,” emphasizing transparency.
Early voting opens in mid-April. The Democratic primary is set for May 6, 2026. Candidates may begin filing qualifying petitions in December.
