← Back to Shelby County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-05-05
Contest for County Commissioner District 13
County Commission
13
primary - Partisan - County Commissioner District 13
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 — budget, taxes, land use, services, intergovernmental — 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 — 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
3 candidates
Amber Huett-Garcia
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Huett-Garcia’s tenure managing over $13 billion in K-12 funds for former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn demonstrates direct budget literacy and policy judgment on large-scale fiscal matters. Her role as a policy advisor in Shelby County’s Office of Education provides documented experience with local government operations and legislative processes. Serving nine years, including two as chair, for the Obesity Action Coalition indicates established constituent relations and community engagement capabilities.
LaGina "Gina" Mitchell-Scott
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Mitchell-Scott brings over two decades of experience in education, counseling, and mental health support as a lifelong educator and nonprofit founder. Her Education Specialist degree in Leadership and Master’s in School Counseling provide academic grounding for policy judgment on community services. As a district representative, she will manage constituent relations for roughly 70,000 residents through case-work and advocacy. However, her biography lacks direct evidence of budget literacy regarding the county’s multi-decade bond issues or property-tax rate setting. It also does not document specific experience drafting ordinances or navigating Tennessee county-government law.
Lena Chipman
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Chipman brings over four decades of Memphis residency and professional experience as a technology consultant and startup principal. Her board service with the MidSouth LGBT Chamber of Commerce suggests community engagement relevant to constituent relations. Holding bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Memphis, she possesses academic credentials, though her background does not explicitly demonstrate budget literacy or legislative drafting skills.
Republican Primary
1 candidate
Ed Apple
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Apple’s career in capital markets at Morgan Keegan and Pacific Global, plus founding a real estate firm, demonstrates financial acumen relevant to budget literacy and tax policy. His prior run for District 13 provides direct experience with constituent relations and legislative processes within the district. Serving on boards for St. Mary's Episcopal School, Pacific Global, and Medicos indicates familiarity with governance structures and committee work. However, the biography lacks details on specific policy judgment regarding land use or intergovernmental affairs.