{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n- None; candidate in the Democratic primary on May 5, 2026, for Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) District 8. ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ayleem_Connolly))\n\n- Running against fellow Democrat Toshina Williams in the primary; the winner will face independent candidate Leigh Ann Scarbrough in the general election on August 6, 2026. ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ayleem_Connolly))\n- Campaign website: [voteconnolly.com](https://www.voteconnolly.com/)\n- Endorsed by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and the National Women's Political Caucus of West Tennessee. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/); [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ayleem_Connolly))\n\n## Background and education\n- Holds two master's degrees in education. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/))\n\n## Career\n- Former Spanish teacher and Department Chair at East High School. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/); [Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n- Previously taught at Trezevant High and Oakhaven High schools. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/); [Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n- Currently works as a corporate trainer for a Fortune 500 company and evaluates multi-million dollar projects. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/))\n\n\n\n---\n*Compiled from publicly available web sources on 2026-04-18.*\n\n## Office history\n- No prior elected office held; former teacher in MSCS from 2015 through 2023. ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n- **2026** \u2014 [School Board (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=CONNOLLY&id=103870&f=201068&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n\n*Source: [Tennessee Ethics Commission Statement of Interest Search](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/search.htm). Scraped 2026-04-25.*\n\n## Family\n- Mother, wife, and grew up in the Dominican Republic before moving to Memphis in 2014. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/); [Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board_district_8","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County School Board District 8"}],"cf_filings":[{"county":"shelby","displayname":"Connolly, Ayleem","documents":[{"datesubmitted":"04/10/26","documentid":"05657E07-22E9-4392-AFA7-982F39A8E1B3","documentname":"Connolly, Ayleem - CFD - 1st Quarter 2026","documentnameid":["05657E07-22E9-4392-AFA7-982F39A8E1B3","Connolly, Ayleem - CFD - 1st Quarter 2026"],"documenttype":"2026 CFD","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"02/03/26","documentid":"66DBF464-89EE-4A91-AED1-C5ED37C24A7D","documentname":"Connolly, Ayleem - Appointment of Treasurer 2026.pdf","documentnameid":["66DBF464-89EE-4A91-AED1-C5ED37C24A7D","Connolly, Ayleem - Appointment of Treasurer 2026.pdf"],"documenttype":"Appointment of Treasurer","electionname":null}],"filertype":"Candidate","officename":"County School Bd., Dist. 8","source_customer_id":"EE6EBC62-7B7C-432F-869E-4DE111271E07","source_filer_id":"28C140DD-5462-4DE0-BC0B-6C4117F888C6","source_system":"easyvote","state":"TN","status":"Active"}],"firstname":"Ayleem","fullname":"Ayleem Connolly","lastname":"Connolly","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board_district_8","contest_title":"County School Board District 8","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-05-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"county_school_board_division_8","office_title":"County School Board Division 8","party":"D","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":"shelby","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_school_board_district_8","contest_title":"County School Board District 8","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-05-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"county_school_board_division_8","office_title":"County School Board Division 8","party":"D","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"D","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_school_board_division_8","office_title":"County School Board Division 8","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"terms":[],"token":"LhGxPvXUkC"}