{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Edquardo Jamison","chatgptsummary":"Edquardo Jamison's biography indicates prior work with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office Patrol Division, suggesting familiarity with local law enforcement operations relevant to criminal court records. Public records do not document specific experience in managing felony dockets, handling bond paperwork, or supervising clerical staff for high-volume court filings. Bio does not indicate experience in financial controls for court funds or knowledge of Tennessee Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nAs of the available records, Ballotpedia was gathering information regarding candidate endorsements for this race, but no specific endorsements have been publicly listed for Jamison ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Edquardo_Jamison)).\n\nJamison has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Consequently, there are no published campaign themes or policy positions available in the surveyed data ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Edquardo_Jamison)).\n\n## Background and education\nAvailable sources do not provide specific details regarding Jamison's educational history or academic credentials.\n\n## Career\nEdquardo Jamison is a Republican candidate running for Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk in Tennessee ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Edquardo_Jamison)). He is currently listed as a challenger in the 2026 election cycle, with no incumbent holding the seat ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Edquardo_Jamison)).\n\nProfessional background details are limited in public records. A LinkedIn profile associated with Jamison indicates prior involvement with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office Patrol Division, where supervisors and dispatcher supervisors expressed gratitude for his work alongside line staff ([LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/edquardo-jamison-14b49392_the-shelby-county-sheriffs-office-patrol-activity-7319009172438614016-rO-k)).\n\nJamison is seeking the office of Criminal Court Clerk in Shelby County, Tennessee, which serves the Memphis metropolitan area ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Edquardo_Jamison)). He is registered as a Republican and appears on the ballot for the Republican primary scheduled for May 5, 2026 ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Edquardo_Jamison)). The general election for this position is set for August 6, 2026 ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Municipal_elections_in_Shelby_County,_Tennessee_(2026))).\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n- **2026** \u2014 [Criminal Court Clerk (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=JAMISON&id=103883&f=198982&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":"Edquardo","lastname":"Jamison","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"DSz1a9jMBh"},"token":"edquardo_jamison"},{"candidatename":"Joe Towns, Jr.","chatgptsummary":"Joe Towns Jr.'s biography shows a Master of Science in operational management and long-term legislative service since 1995, suggesting administrative oversight capability relevant to managing court records and staff. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate direct experience with criminal docket management or specific knowledge of Tennessee court fee schedules and bond procedures.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJoe Towns Jr. has represented Tennessee House District 84 (Memphis, southern Shelby County) since 1995 [1]. In the 2026 cycle he is separately seeking Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk: he won the May 5, 2026 Democratic primary for that office, narrowly defeating incumbent Clerk Wanda Halbert by 121 votes - 19,329 to 19,208, each roughly 27.5% of a five-candidate field [2][3]. Towns advances to the August 6, 2026 general election for Criminal Court Clerk against Republican Edquardo Jamison [3]. Separately, Shelby County Election Commission petition-filing records show Towns also qualified as a Democratic primary candidate for his existing House District 84 seat, for the August 6, 2026 state primary [4]. The two candidacies are distinct races (a county general election and a state legislative primary) that happen to fall on the same date.\n\n## Background and education\nTowns was born May 4 in Memphis. He holds a B.A. in political science from LeMoyne-Owen College and an M.S. in operational management from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He is a member of Mississippi Boulevard Church [1].\n\n## Career\nTowns describes himself in his official legislative biography as a \"Business/Entrepreneur and Former College Instructor\" who operates a management, consulting, and entertainment company [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nFirst elected to the House in 1994, Towns has sponsored legislation aimed at reviving the Tennessee Horse Racing Commission and bringing horse racing back to Memphis, framed as a way to \"keep gambling dollars from slipping out of Shelby County\" [5].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Representative Joe Towns, Jr.](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/archives/107GA/members/h84.html) - Tennessee General Assembly official biography, accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [Towns edges out Halbert by 121 votes in primary](https://wreg.com/news/your-local-election-headquarters/towns-edges-out-halbert-by-121-votes-in-primary/) - WREG\n[3] [Joe Towns Jr. edges out Wanda Halbert for Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk](https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/joe-towns-jr-edges-out-wanda-halbert-for-shelby-county-criminal-court-clerk/article_974e4e05-1837-4ff0-8077-39d4c22ad24b.html) - Fox13 Memphis\n[4] Petitions Issued and Filed as of COB March 9, 2026 - Shelby County Election Commission, https://electionsshelbytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Petitioins-Issued-and-Filed-as-of-COB-March-9-2026.pdf\n[5] [Towns trying to revive state horse racing commission](https://dailymemphian.com/article/3017/Towns-trying-to-revive-state-horse-racing-commission) - Daily Memphian","firstname":"Joe","lastname":"Towns","middlename":null,"suffix":"Jr.","token":"IZj74LVUJY"},"token":"joe_towns_jr"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"shelby","districtgroup":"county","districtgroupname":"County","districtname":null,"job_type":"criminal_court_clerk","o.office":"criminal_court_clerk","office":"criminal_court_clerk","officedescription":"The Criminal Court Clerk maintains the records of the Criminal Court, which hears felony cases and appeals from General Sessions Court misdemeanors. Duties include receiving and indexing indictments and filings, preparing dockets and case files for the judges, managing the court's fine-and-cost collection, and maintaining public records of criminal dispositions.","officequalities":"- Maintains records of the Criminal Court (felony trial court). Manages the criminal docket, bond paperwork, and jury orders for criminal trials.\n- Records management for the court served by this clerk's office, in conformity with Tennessee Rules of Civil/Criminal Procedure and the orders of the assigned judges.\n- Working knowledge of the relevant court's docket, fee schedule, and pleading requirements.\n- Financial controls for collecting and disbursing court costs, fines, restitution, bonds, and trust funds \u2014 with public accountability.\n- Supervision of a clerical staff handling high case volume and frequent statutory deadlines.\n- Administrative reliability \u2014 the office's filings are legally binding and its records are evidence.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Criminal Court Clerk","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Criminal Court Clerk"}