Ballot Project

← Back to Shelby County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-05-05

Contest for County Commissioner District 10

County Commission 10
primary - Partisan - County Commissioner District 10

About this office

Shelby County Commissioners are the 13 members of the county's legislative body. Each represents a single-member district, and together they pass resolutions and ordinances, approve the annual county budget, set the property-tax rate, and set countywide policy. They attend regular Monday commission meetings and Wednesday committee meetings and must complete at least seven hours of continuing education each year through the UT County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS).

Salary: $34,900/year (Action News 5, Dec 2021).

Term length: 4 years.

This role calls for

  • Policy judgment on countywide matters β€” budget, taxes, land use, services, intergovernmental β€” within Tennessee county-government law and the Shelby County Charter.
  • Budget literacy: the 13-member commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and authorizes bond issues that span decades.
  • Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances; chairing or sitting on committees that pre-screen items.
  • Constituent relations in a single-member district of roughly 70,000 residents β€” case-work and community issues flow through the commissioner's office.
  • Willingness to complete the state-required seven hours of annual continuing education through UT CTAS.

Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.

Campaigns

Democratic Primary 5 candidates
Brandon "DD" Washington

Brandon "DD" Washington

πŸ‘ πŸ‘Ž 🀑 😑 🀷
Washington’s 2023 city council run garnered roughly 16,000 votes, demonstrating prior electoral engagement and constituent reach within a single-member district framework. His testimony before the U.S. Senate Caucus on Foster Youth contributed to federal SNAP expansions, indicating experience with legislative processes and policy advocacy at higher governmental levels. As a University of Memphis political science senior, he possesses academic grounding relevant to county law and budget literacy.
Samuel B Nelson

Samuel B Nelson

πŸ‘ πŸ‘Ž 🀑 😑 🀷
Nelson’s background as a minister, small business owner, and community leader in Bethel Grove and Orange Mound suggests direct constituent relations for District 10. His campaign platform emphasizes public safety, economic opportunity, and neighborhood revitalization, indicating policy judgment on local services and land use. However, the biography provides no evidence of budget literacy regarding the county budget or tax rates, nor does it detail experience with legislative processes like drafting ordinances or committee work. It also lacks information on prior public service tenure or statutory training.
Rebecca Jane Edwards

Rebecca Jane Edwards

πŸ‘ πŸ‘Ž 🀑 😑 🀷
Not enough public information found to evaluate.
Lashanta Rudd

Lashanta Rudd

πŸ‘ πŸ‘Ž 🀑 😑 🀷
Rudd’s twelve-year tenure as CEO of Serving In Christ Outreach Ministries demonstrates nonprofit leadership and collaborative project management with Memphis stakeholders. Her role as a substitute teacher highlights direct community engagement and conflict resolution skills relevant to constituent relations. As a Certified Mental Health Life Coach, she applies holistic support strategies for workforce readiness. These experiences suggest capacity for policy judgment on social services and intergovernmental coordination. However, the biography lacks specific details regarding budget literacy, legislative drafting experience, or prior public service in Shelby County government.
John Luke Bradley

John Luke Bradley

πŸ‘ πŸ‘Ž 🀑 😑 🀷
Bradley currently serves in the Shelby County Mayor’s Office, connecting residents with resources and ensuring their voices are heard across county government. This role provides direct experience in constituent relations for a district of roughly 70,000 residents. As a lifelong Memphian from Orange Mound, he brings deep community roots to his advocacy work. His career is described as rooted in service, leadership, and advocacy for the communities that raised him. However, the biography does not indicate specific policy judgment on countywide matters such as budget or land use, nor does it detail experience with legislative drafting or the required UT CTAS continuing education.