←All People
Contessa Humphrey
born 1988-10-05 (Age 37)
Office history
Contessa Humphrey is a Democratic candidate running for the Memphis-Shelby County School Board District 6 seat in Shelby County, Tennessee [7]. She is seeking to fill the position currently held by incumbent Keith Williams, who is not running for re-election [8]. The race involves selecting a Democratic nominee in a primary election on May 5, 2026, with the winner facing independent candidate Frederick Dewayne Tappan in the general election on August 6, 2026 [7].
Humphrey is one of five Democrats vying for the nomination in District 6, a district covering approximately 28 schools and 12,000 students in Southwest Memphis, including Whitehaven High School and Havenview Middle School [8]. The district has a student population that is more than 95% Black, with nearly 70% of students considered economically disadvantaged [8]. Students in the district test slightly below the districtwide averages on state reading and math proficiency tests [8].
While other candidates in the race have detailed their backgrounds—such as Marinda A-Williams, a former teacher and state party official, or Juliette Eskridge, a 20-year MSCS teacher—Humphrey did not respond to Chalkbeat’s candidate survey [8]. Her full name is listed as Contessa Glorianna Humphrey in the initial candidate list provided by the Shelby County Election Commission [10]. She participated in a candidate video series hosted by the Greater Memphis Chamber to present her priorities and vision for public education to voters [12].
Sources
- [1] Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2026 - Ballotpedia
- [2] Tennessee elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia
- [3] Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State
- [4] Elections Calendar | Tennessee Secretary of State
- [5] 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election - Wikipedia
- [7] Voter guide: Here are the Democratic Memphis school board candidates running in District 6 - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian
- [8] Memphis school board election 2026: Who are the Democratic candidates in District 6?
- [10] Meet the Memphis school board candidates on your 2026 ballot
- [11] Voter Guide 2026 | Everything you need to know about primary elections in Shelby County | localmemphis.com
- [12] Meet the Candidates: Memphis-Shelby County School Board District 6 - Greater Memphis Chamber
Public filings
Candidates and officeholders are required by law to file campaign finance reports and statements of economic interest. The sites below don't support direct links to an individual record — search by last name on each.
Tennessee — Shelby County campaign finance (County School Bd., Dist. 6)
- Humphrey, Contessa - CFD 1st Quarter 2026.pdf — filed 04/07/26
- Humphrey, Contessa - Appointment of Treasurer 2026.pdf — filed 02/19/26
Tennessee — campaign finance (search)
- State offices (Governor, US Senate, US Rep, TN Senate, TN House, State Executive Committee) — Tennessee Registry of Election Finance. Click Search for Candidates and PACs, enter last name “Humphrey”, and submit.
Tennessee — statement of interest
- Required for state and local officials and candidates — Tennessee Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Search. Enter last name “Humphrey”and, if needed, select the applicable position.