The race for Memphis City Council's District 7 seat is once again a hotly contested battleground, drawing a significant field of seven candidates. This district encompasses diverse neighborhoods, including Frayser, North Memphis, Downtown, Uptown, and Mud Island. Historically, this council district often heads to a runoff election due to the sheer number of contenders.
Here's a closer look at the candidates vying for the District 7 seat:
Edward Douglas: An operations manager and student coach for the University of Memphis men's basketball team, Douglas is a recent business economics graduate. He previously sought an appointment to the council in 2018 but did not receive it.
Michalyn Easter-Thomas: The incumbent council member for District 7, Easter-Thomas serves as the education initiatives and strategic partnerships director of the Memphis River Parks Partnership. She also has a background as a teacher with Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
Jimmy Hassan: The owner of Fashion Corner Men's Store in the Hollywood-Chelsea area, Hassan ran for this seat four years ago, leveraging his experience as a small business owner.
Jarrett "JP" Parks: With 18 years of service as a Shelby County Sheriff's Office deputy, Parks emphasizes his law enforcement background and is committed to empowering entrepreneurs.
Dee Reed: Currently working in the accounting department of Wesley Living, Reed has interned in city government, particularly in the parks division. She also has experience working in the city's summer camp programs.
Austin Rowe: A real estate agent and president of the Mid-South LGBT Chamber, Rowe also serves as the Memphis chapter president of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals.
Larry Springfield: Co-owner of Suga Shack restaurant on Beale Street and head of Springfield Enterprises, Springfield is also a talented entertainer who won the Star Search television talent competition in 1991 and recorded an album. He has run for the council seat multiple times in the past.
In the 2019 election, Easter-Thomas emerged victorious in a runoff against incumbent Berlin Boyd, winning by a significant margin. Her tenure on the council has been marked by her support for police reform measures and her efforts to rename city parks and public spaces through a renaming commission.
As her term draws to a close, Easter-Thomas has transitioned to a new role with the Memphis River Parks Partnership, leading her to recuse herself from votes involving the partnership's management of city parks along the Mississippi River.
The upcoming election on October 5th will determine whether a runoff is needed, with the top two vote-getters advancing to a potential November 16th runoff. District 7 has a recent history of runoff elections, making this race a closely watched contest in Memphis politics.
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