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Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members are suing the Shelby County Election Commission over 2026 election changes that would cut short more than half of the board’s terms.
Those five members — chair Natalie McKinney, Stephanie Love, Towanna Murphy, Tamarques Porter, and Sable Otey — filed the lawsuit with Shelby County Chancery Court on Dec. 15. The district board as a whole is also listed as a plaintiff.
In an emailed statement Tuesday, Administrator of Elections Linda Phillips said she is “aware of and disappointed” that the school board is suing the Shelby County Election Commission.
“The Shelby County Election Commission works to ensure elections are properly administered, but does not decide which elections are placed on the ballot,” Phillips said.
MSCS officials and affected board members did not respond to requests for comment.
The full board reset was pushed through by Shelby County commissioners in October, despite constitutionality concerns from local officials, including the mayor. State lawmakers made the local election realignment possible through legislation passed last spring.
Supporters of the reset argued aligning all board elections with other county elections could reduce administrative costs and boost voter turnout, which has historically been low for school board elections. But the state law and commission decision came amid ongoing calls for greater accountability for the MSCS board following the ouster of former Superintendent Marie Feagins.
This fall, board members argued the reset was a retaliatory effort that essentially nullified local voters’ decisions.
Board members unanimously voted in November to hire a lawyer to determine the legality and constitutionality of putting all nine seats on the ballot in 2026. The lawsuit was filed just a week before school board candidates can formally pull petitions for 2026 candidacy ahead of the May party primaries.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.
