Rebecca Jane Edwards

Rebecca Edwards is a Democratic candidate running for Shelby County Board of Commissioners District 10 in Tennessee [1]. She is one of five candidates in the Democratic primary scheduled for May 5, 2026, with the general election set for August 6, 2026 [1]. Edwards has lived in District 10 for 55 years [1].

Edwards graduated from Wooddale Senior High School and holds bachelor's degrees from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Christian Brothers University [1]. Her professional background includes working as a nonprofit founder, managing people and budgets, teaching at a junior college, and advocating within government agencies [1]. In 2026, she completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, outlining her experience in connecting individuals to essential resources and collaborating with diverse groups [1].

A significant part of Edwards' career involves the performing arts. She founded Cultural Arts For Everyone (CAFÉ), a nonprofit presenting organization dedicated to bringing artistic experiences to students, new audiences, and underserved communities [1]. Under her leadership, CAFÉ presented over 90 productions and reached more than 119,000 people, half of whom were school-age children [1]. Edwards noted that her organization became the first to sell out the 2,100-seat Cannon Center with Ailey II and was recognized as a Kennedy Center Partner in Education, partnering with Memphis City Schools for educator and student workshops [1].

Edwards previously ran for office in 2022. She was a candidate for the Memphis-Shelby County Schools school board, District 9 [1]. In the general election held on August 4, 2022, she lost to incumbent Joyce Dorse-Coleman, receiving 40.9% of the vote compared to Dorse-Coleman's 59.1% [1].

Her service has been recognized by The Links, River City (TN) Chapter, Emerge Tennessee, and Women of Achievement [1]. Currently, she serves on the Orange Mound Land Trust Advisory Board [1].

Sources

• [1] Rebecca Edwards (Tennessee) - Ballotpedia
• [2] Rebecca Edwards - Ballotpedia
• [3] Rebecca Edwards (North Carolina) - Ballotpedia
• [4] Becky Edwards - Ballotpedia
• [5] Tennessee elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia
• [7] Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State
• [8] 2026 Election United States Senate - Tennessee - FEC.gov
• [9] 2026 Election United States House - Tennessee - District 05 - FEC.gov
• [10] 2026 Election United States House - Tennessee - District 02 - FEC.gov
• [11] Becky Edwards (Utah politician)
• [12] 2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee - Wikipedia