Wanda Halbert is the current Shelby County Clerk, seeking election as a Democrat for Criminal Court Clerk in the May 2026 primary. She has also filed petitions for County Clerk and County Trustee positions. Halbert previously served on the Memphis City Council and Board of Education before her 2018 election to the county clerk role. Her professional background includes over three decades as an IT administrator at FedEx Services and work with local business associations. Halbert faces significant legal challenges, including a trial set for May 1, 2026, regarding ouster proceedings initiated by Shelby County Attorney Marlinee Iverson. The allegations involve financial reporting deficiencies, leasing issues, and an inability to provide bank reconciliation records for fiscal year 2025, as noted in a 2025 audit. Halbert has denied intentional misconduct, stating she is proud of her office’s role as a revenue generator. In 2022, her tenure was marked by controversy over a license plate backlog that required county intervention to resolve. Despite these issues, Halbert won re-election as County Clerk in 2022 with approximately 54% of the vote. She cites her long administrative career and prior elected service as key qualifications for her current candidacies.

Lawrence Denton Jr. is a Democratic candidate for Criminal Court Clerk in Shelby County, Tennessee. He currently serves as the Administrator of the Shelby County Government Criminal Court Clerk’s Office within the 3rd Judicial District, a position he has held since September 2018. Prior to his appointment as Administrator, Denton worked as the Director of Operations in the same office. His professional background includes two decades serving as a Supervisor in Shelby County Government Pretrial Services, providing extensive experience in local judicial administration and pretrial operations. Denton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology from the University of Tennessee Martin, earned in 1998. He resides in Memphis with his wife of twenty-one years and their son and daughter. His candidacy is supported by his long tenure within the county’s criminal justice infrastructure, specifically his leadership roles in both pretrial services and the clerk’s office administration. The provided biographical material does not indicate any prominent public controversies or ethical violations associated with his career or campaign filings. Voters considering this office may view his two decades of supervisory experience in pretrial services and his current administrative role as relevant qualifications for managing the clerk’s daily operations.

Rheunte E. Benson is a Democratic candidate seeking election as Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk in the May 5, 2026 primary. She currently serves as the General Sessions Criminal Administrator within the Shelby County clerk’s office and holds membership in the National Association for Court Management. Benson claims thirty years of experience in court operations and leadership, having worked within the General Sessions Court Clerk’s Office for that duration. Her previous runs for the related position of General Sessions Court Clerk occurred in 2020 and 2024, both resulting in losses during the Democratic primaries to incumbent Joe Brown and Tami Sawyer, respectively. While her past campaigns emphasized modernizing court infrastructure, including implementing e-filing systems and upgrading case-management technology for criminal and civil divisions, she is now running for the distinct office of Criminal Court Clerk. Information regarding her educational background or family history was not available in public sources. Voters seeking details on campaign finance disclosures may consult Tennessee Ethics Commission filings, which list her statements of interest for both the 2024 and 2026 races.

Joe Towns, Jr. is a Democratic candidate for Criminal Court Clerk in Shelby County. A current state representative serving his ninth consecutive term, Towns brings extensive legislative experience to the judicial administration role. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from LeMoyne-Owen College and a Master of Science in Operational Management from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Professionally, he operates a management, consulting, and entertainment company and previously worked as a college instructor. His political record includes service as Assistant Democratic Leader during the 110th General Assembly. As a legislator, Towns has held membership on several key committees, including Commerce, Transportation, and Calendar & Rules. Notably, he serves on the Criminal Justice Committee and its subcommittee, providing direct oversight of legislation affecting the justice system. This background aligns closely with the responsibilities of the Criminal Court Clerk’s office. Towns is also a co-founder of the C.U.T.E.C. Anti-Crime Organization and remains active in civic groups such as the 100 Black Men and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. He identifies as single. While his bio highlights his long tenure in public service and community engagement, it does not detail specific policy platforms for the clerkship beyond his general legislative focus on criminal justice and commerce. Voters may consider his dual perspective as both a lawmaker shaping criminal statutes and an administrator seeking to manage court operations when evaluating his qualifications for this position.

Carla Stotts is a Democratic candidate seeking election as Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk in the May 5, 2026 primary. She currently holds no public office and is competing against four other Democrats in a race with no incumbent. Stotts has previously run for this position twice before, establishing a consistent electoral history within the party’s primary contests. In the 2018 Democratic primary, she secured 37.5 percent of the vote, totaling 15,665 votes, but lost to the then-incumbent, Heidi Kuhn. Four years later, in the 2022 Democratic primary for the same office, Stotts received 29.8 percent of the vote, amounting to 13,349 votes, again finishing behind Kuhn. Her campaign filings with the Tennessee Ethics Commission identify her as a Shelby County official and candidate, requiring disclosure of potential conflicts of interest under form SS-8005. While specific details regarding her professional background, education, or family life are not available in the provided source materials, her repeated candidacies highlight her sustained interest in this specific administrative role. Voters reviewing her record will note her previous vote totals and the competitive nature of the current field, which includes four other Democratic contenders vying for the nomination.

Edquardo Jamison is a Republican candidate seeking election as Criminal Court Clerk for Shelby County, Tennessee. He currently holds this office, serving as the incumbent in the role responsible for managing court records and administrative functions within the county’s criminal justice system. His professional background is defined by his ongoing tenure in this position, which provides him with direct experience in the daily operations of the Shelby County Criminal Courts. Jamison’s campaign materials and public filings indicate a focus on maintaining the efficiency and integrity of the court clerk’s office. As a sitting official, he has filed required Statements of Interest with the Tennessee Ethics Commission, disclosing his status as a Shelby County candidate for the 2026 election cycle. The Criminal Courts Clerk’s office is located at 201 Poplar Avenue in downtown Memphis, where voters may contact the department via phone at (901) 222-3200 for general inquiries. His candidacy represents a continuation of his current service, leveraging his existing familiarity with court procedures and local government protocols to address the needs of Shelby County residents.