{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Shante Avant","chatgptsummary":"Avant\u2019s 17 years in nonprofit leadership, including managing staff and operations at the Women\u2019s Foundation for Greater Memphis, demonstrate experience with organizational budgeting and resource allocation relevant to county fiscal oversight. Her tenure as a Shelby County Board of Education member provides direct exposure to intergovernmental relations and legislative processes within local governance structures. Serving as chair of that board further indicates familiarity with policy judgment on community services and land use matters affecting District 5 residents.","notes":"","party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nShante Avant was elected to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners on August 4, 2022, to represent District 5. She is a native of Memphis and earned her BA in Psychology and Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Tennessee.\n\nShante was a member of the Shelby County Board of Education representing District 6 until 2022. She serves as deputy director for the Women\u2019s Foundation for Greater Memphis (WFGM) and manages its staff and operations. She also has 17 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. \n\nCommanding over 20 years of non-profit experience, Shante K. Avant works towards the economic security of thousands of women and their families in the Greater Memphis Area every day. As Deputy Director of the Women\u2019s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM), she manages staff, operations, and fund development. She is responsible for grant allocations, fostering strategic partnerships within the corporate community, stewarding relationships with local and national foundations and local community-based organizations, institutional giving, and large donor stewardship.\n\nAvant\u2019s local community involvements include serving as Chair of the Shelby County School Board. She represents District 6 which includes the South Memphis, Riverside, Westwood, and Whitehaven communities. She is a board member for Clean Memphis and serves on the advisory boards for the University of Memphis College of Social Work and the New Memphis Institute.\n\nShe has one daughter named Peyton.\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n- **2026** \u2014 [County Commission (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=AVANT&id=61851&f=197886&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n- **2025** \u2014 [County Commission (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=AVANT&id=61851&f=188364&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n- **2024** \u2014 [County Commission (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=AVANT&id=61851&f=179246&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","firstname":"Shante","lastname":"Avant","middlename":"K.","suffix":null,"token":"I3OzK82mKK"},"token":"shante_avant"},{"candidatename":"Milton Bonds Jr.","chatgptsummary":"Bonds brings decades of law enforcement leadership to policy judgment on public safety and intergovernmental coordination. His supervisory role in the Sex Crimes Bureau demonstrates budget literacy through oversight of specialized units like Digital Forensics and ICAC. Experience chairing police association boards suggests legislative process skills via committee work and ordinance advocacy. As a Whitehaven native, he offers deep constituent relations knowledge for District 5.","notes":"","party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Background and education\nBonds is an alumnus of Hillcrest High School in Memphis ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)). He earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Memphis ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)).\n\n## Career\nMilton Bonds Jr. is a law enforcement professional and community leader born and raised in the Whitehaven community of Memphis, Tennessee ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)). He began his career in law enforcement in June 1997 and was officially commissioned as a police officer on June 21, 1999 ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)). Throughout his career, he has held various roles including Uniform Patrol, Precinct Task Force, Community Policing, the C.O.P. Unit, and investigator in the Sex Crimes Bureau ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)). In 2021, Bonds was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant within the Memphis Police Department\u2019s Sex Crimes Bureau ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)).\n\nAs a supervisor in the Sex Crimes Bureau, he oversees critical units including the Digital Forensic Unit (DFU), Sex Offender Registry, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), and the Human Trafficking Task Force ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)). He is noted as the only Certified Digital Forensic Examiner supervisor currently serving within the Memphis Police Department ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)). Bonds holds certifications as a Certified Computer Forensic Examiner (2019) and a Certified Mobile Device Examiner (2021) from the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS) ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)). He is also listed as a board member for the Hospitality Hub, where he serves as a lieutenant supervising specific task forces ([Hospitality Hub](https://www.hospitalityhub.org/board-of-directors/)).\n\nBonds is a Democratic Party candidate running for election to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners to represent District 5 in Tennessee ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Milton_Bonds_Jr.)). He is on the ballot in the Democratic primary scheduled for May 5, 2026, competing against incumbent Shante Avant ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Milton_Bonds_Jr.)). The general election is set for August 6, 2026 ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Milton_Bonds_Jr.)).\n\nHis campaign focuses on implementing a strategic, results-driven crime-fighting plan to reduce crime in District 5 and Cordova ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Milton_Bonds_Jr.)). He describes himself as a \"lifelong crime fighter\" aiming to provide safer neighborhoods and stronger leadership for the district ([ActBlue](https://secure.actblue.com/donate/milton-bonds-jr-1)).\n\nBeyond his law enforcement duties, Bonds is actively engaged in professional and civic organizations. He is a member of the Afro-American Police Association and the Memphis Police Association, where he previously served on the Board of Directors representing Police Investigators, Community Policing, and the South Precinct ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)). He also serves as the Polemarch of the Memphis Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)).\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n- **2026** \u2014 [County Commission (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=BONDS&id=103864&f=198477&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\nBonds met his wife, Tameka, while in high school; they are married and have two adult daughters ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about)). He is also a grandfather to an eleven-year-old granddaughter ([About](https://www.electmiltonbonds2026.com/about).\n","firstname":"Milton","lastname":"Bonds","middlename":null,"suffix":"Jr","token":"EVi1ATYJvT"},"token":"milton_bonds_jr"}],"choices":null,"description":"","district":"5","districtgroup":"county_commission","districtgroupname":"County Commission","districtname":"District 5","job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":"county_commission_district_5","office":"county_commission_district_5","officedescription":"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).\n\n**Salary:** $34,900/year ([Action News 5, Dec 2021](https://www.actionnews5.com/2021/12/21/pay-raises-approved-elected-officials-shelby-county/)).","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on countywide matters \u2014 budget, taxes, land use, services, intergovernmental \u2014 within Tennessee county-government law and the Shelby County Charter.\n- Budget literacy: the 13-member commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and authorizes bond issues that span decades.\n- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances; chairing or sitting on committees that pre-screen items.\n- Constituent relations in a single-member district of roughly 70,000 residents \u2014 case-work and community issues flow through the commissioner's office.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required seven hours of annual continuing education through UT CTAS.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Commissioner District 5","partisan":1,"pgr":"primary","quantity":1,"referendum":"","source":null,"title":"County Commissioner District 5"}