{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n[https://twitter.com/jbsmileyjr](https://twitter.com/jbsmileyjr)\n\n[https://www.instagram.com/councilmansmiley](https://www.instagram.com/councilmansmiley)\n\n[https://www.votejbsmiley.com/](https://www.votejbsmiley.com/)\n\n[https://ballotpedia.org/JB_Smiley_Jr.](https://ballotpedia.org/JB_Smiley_Jr.)\n\n[https://www.reddit.com/r/memphis/comments/16gvoxj/city_council_staff_shakeup_leaves_questions_over/](https://www.reddit.com/r/memphis/comments/16gvoxj/city_council_staff_shakeup_leaves_questions_over/)\n\n\n\n\n### Personal Statement ###\n\nA native Memphian, with five siblings, born to a social worker and a Bronze Star army soldier, JB Smiley, Jr., knows the value of hard work and a healthy, supportive community.\n\nAfter JB\u2019s collegiate and semi-professional basketball career, he pursued a legal education, and later, a political career. But his life in serving the most vulnerable started from a young age.\n\nJB\u2019s first experience with teamwork and leadership was as a Cub Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. Never afraid of getting his hands dirty, JB has done everything from working as a landfill cleaner to washing dishes.\n\nAs his father taught him to \u201cnever forget the bridge that brought you over,\u201d JB decided to stay in the region to attend college and then law school at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.\n\nWhile in law school, JB served as a member of the Law Review, Moot Court Board, and as Vice President of the Black Law Students Association. JB successfully passed Arkansas and the Tennessee Bar exams, while writing his first book, Born With It: Unleashing Your Greatness.\n\nIn 2017, in Memphis, JB started his law practice, Smiley & Associates, PLLC. The following year, JB was named to Memphis Flyer\u2019s Top 20, Under 30 class. During that same year, JB was appointed policy advisor to the Shelby County Clerk and served in such capacity until his election to the Memphis City Council in October 2019.\n\nAs a council member, JB is currently Vice Chair of the City Council and serves as Chair of the Public Works, Solid Waste & General Services Committee, Vice Chair of the Planning & Zoning Committee, and the council liaison for the Urban Art Commission and the Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission.\n\nIn his spare time, JB likes to play basketball, work out, binge watch Netflix shows, and keep his dog, Mighty Mouse, and his nephew, Bryson Maxwell Smiley, smiling!\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n- **2026** \u2014 [County Mayor (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=SMILEY&id=77685&f=196794&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n- **2025** \u2014 [City/Town Council (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=SMILEY&id=77685&f=185195&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n- **2024** \u2014 [City/Town Council (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=SMILEY&id=77685&f=177505&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","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_mayor","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"primary","state":"TN","title":"County Mayor"},{"contest":"memphis_city_council_super_district_8_position_1","county":"Shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"J","fullname":"J B Smiley Jr","lastname":"Smiley","middlename":"B","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_mayor","contest_title":"County Mayor","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-05-05","office_county":"Shelby","office_key":"county_mayor","office_title":"County Mayor","party":"D","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"}],"county":"shelby","cycles":[{"general":null,"party":"D","primary":{"contest":"county_mayor","contest_title":"County Mayor","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-05-05","office_county":"Shelby","office_key":"county_mayor","office_title":"County Mayor","party":"D","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"},"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_mayor","office_title":"County Mayor","state":"TN","terms":[]},{"campaigns":[{"contest":"memphis_city_council_super_district_8_position_1","contest_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1","county":"Shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2023-10-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_1","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":"shelby","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"memphis_city_council_super_district_8_position_1","contest_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1","county":"Shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2023-10-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_1","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"","primary":null,"term":{"county":"shelby","electiondate":"2023-10-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_1","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1","party":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2027-10-05","term_start":"2023-10-05"},"year":2023},{"general":null,"party":null,"primary":null,"term":{"county":"Shelby","electiondate":"2019-11-19","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_1","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1","party":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2023-12-31","term_start":"2020-01-01"},"year":2020}],"office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_1","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1","state":"TN","terms":[{"county":"shelby","electiondate":"2023-10-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_1","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1","party":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2027-10-05","term_start":"2023-10-05"},{"county":"Shelby","electiondate":"2019-11-19","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_1","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1","party":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2023-12-31","term_start":"2020-01-01"}]}],"suffix":"Jr","summary":"J B Smiley Jr is a native Memphian who has pursued a legal education and a political career. He attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, where he was involved in various organizations and passed the Arkansas and Tennessee Bar exams. In 2017, he started his own law practice and was later elected to the Memphis City Council in 2019. Currently, he serves as Vice Chair of the City Council and holds various committee positions. There is no negative information provided about J B Smiley Jr.","terms":[{"county":"shelby","electiondate":"2019-11-19","office":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_1","state":"TN","term_end":"2023-12-31","term_start":"2020-01-01","title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1"},{"county":"shelby","electiondate":"2023-10-05","office":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_1","state":"TN","term_end":"2027-10-05","term_start":"2023-10-05","title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 1"}],"token":"asdf8"}