The people of Memphis are three months away from choosing the city’s next mayor, and as of Wednesday, July 5, voters have 16 candidates to choose from.
“Between now and October 5th, you are going to see a plethora of yard signs,” says local political analyst Susan Adler Thorp. “You’re going to hear as many radio ads, and see as many TV ads.”
According to the most recent mayoral poll released in June, former Mayor Willie Herenton (13%), Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner (9%), President of NAACP Memphis Branch Van Turner (9%) and Downtown Memphis Commission President/CEO Paul young (8%) are the slight front-runners.
However, the remaining 48% of Memphis voters say they are undecided.
“These are people who are telling you they desire to participate in this election, but do not feel as though they have enough information to decide how and who they might want to vote for,” said Dr. Earle Fisher, director of Up the Vote 901.
Thorp says it’s no secret what will be most important to Memphis voters.
“The issue this year is going to be crime, crime and crime,” she said, expecting most candidates to dedicate 50 percent of their campaigns to crime prevention.
Dr. Fisher fears that the sheer number of candidates could create more voter apathy and lead to low voter turnout.
“You're actually looking at the complacency of the entire community that is going to be subjected to the leadership of someone who will not feel deeply compelled…to represent the vast majority of the 650,000 people who make up Memphis.”
It is why Up the Vote 901 is hosting meet and greet events to help educate voters and connect them with candidates.
Memphis voter Nancy Brownlee says it does make a difference.
“As of right now, Paul Young is the only one I’ve had an encounter with,” she said. “For the most part, I know what he’s running for, what he stands for.”
Matthew McDaniel says candidates should also consider the habits of their voting base.
“Being young, I’m always on social media, so I think social media (campaigns are) the way to go,” he said. “Instagram, Facebook, SnapChat, blast it out on everything that you know.”
Dr. Fisher says voter education is a responsibility that falls on both citizen and candidate.
“Most candidates are simply content with manipulating and exploiting a low turnout election,” he said. “And I think that's the thing that everybody in the community should be committed to working against.”
The final deadline for candidates to get on the qualifying ballot is July 20, 2023.