Campaign signs line the entrance to an early voting location in Shelby County as voters begin casting ballots in a crowded 2026 primary that includes multiple contested Memphis-Shelby County Schools board races. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender)

By Bri Hatch

With early voting underway, Memphis voters have begun choosing from among 15 Democratic candidates vying for four open school board seats in the district’s first political primary.

Voting has started for the May 5 primary race in Districts 1, 6, 8, and 9. No Republican candidates qualified to run this year, but two independents will challenge the Democratic nominee in Districts 6 and 8 in the Aug. 6 general election.

That means the Memphis-Shelby County Schools representative for Districts 1 and 9 will be decided by the Democratic primary. Both elections include incumbents who have been on the school board since 2018: Michelle McKissack and Joyce Dorse-Coleman, respectively.

The other candidates, ranging from seasoned MSCS teachers to a local lawyer and parents’ rights advocate, are joining the pool during a time of looming shifts in district leadership.

Senate Republicans are expected to take the next step in advancing their state takeover plans for MSCS in the coming days. Republican leadership appears set to adopt a version close to Rep. Mark White’s 2025 proposal that would create a board of managers that would take away key responsibilities from the local board, including budget and superintendent decisions.

Republican lawmakers launched the takeover effort last year after the controversial firing of former Superintendent Marie Feagins last January. Current board members voted unanimously to hire Roderick Richmond, a 30-year district employee, as the new permanent leader late last month.

Check out our interactive map tool to find out which MSCS board district you’ll be seeing on your ballot. And before casting a vote, read all about the candidates in our comprehensive profiles here:

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat.