Shelby County's New Commission Needed Three Ballots and a Withdrawal to Elect a Chair. Shante K. Avant Won 9 to 4.

MEMPHIS, September 14, 2026 - The Shelby County Board of Commissioners elected Commissioner Shante K. Avant as its chair on September 14, 2026, on the third ballot, by a vote of 9 to 4.

The body had been sworn in on August 31, 2026. It did not elect a chair that day. The organizational resolutions went to committee on September 9, 2026 and came out of committee with the name blanks still empty and no recommendation attached. The election happened here, 14 days after the oath.

The meeting could not start without first electing somebody else

Before the chair election could be held, the Commission had to elect an acting chair to run the meeting. The clerk of the county commission conducted the roll call for nominations under Rule 35 of the permanent rules of order. Twelve commissioners were present at that point, and the clerk reported a quorum.

Commissioner Rhonda O'Dell nominated Commissioner Avant. Commissioner Derek Mills nominated Commissioner Mark Billingsley. Commissioner Henri E. Brooks was also nominated. Commissioner Lashanta Rudd passed.

The first ballot for acting chair returned six votes for Commissioner Avant, three for Commissioner Billingsley and four for Commissioner Brooks. No one had the seven votes a majority of the membership requires. Commissioner Billingsley then asked to withdraw his name, saying he was doing it in the interest of time and efficiency. The second ballot returned nine for Commissioner Avant and four for Commissioner Brooks.

Commissioner Avant took the gavel as acting chair and the meeting began.

Then the real vote

Item 2 on the agenda set the salary of the chair for the 2026 through 2027 term. It had come out of the September 9, 2026 committee meeting amended and without recommendation. It passed 13 to 0 without discussion.

Item 3 was the resolution electing a commissioner to serve as chair until August 31, 2027. Commissioner Erika Sugarmon moved it and Commissioner Miska Clay Bibbs seconded. Commissioner Brooks, chairing general government as acting chairman, reported that the item had been sent down without recommendation.

Four names went into nomination: Commissioner Billingsley, Commissioner Brooks, Commissioner Rudd and Commissioner Avant. Each nominee was entitled to a two-minute speech.

Commissioner Billingsley said the finance department demands immediate attention, that the county must restore fiscal responsibility and protect its ability to make its own decisions, and that if the body fails to act it risks state intervention and decisions being made in Nashville instead of in Shelby County. He said he had chaired the Commission during the pandemic and that "a federal dollar has no party affiliation."

Commissioner Brooks said she was not seeking a title. She said the Commission's authority "is being undercut by chronic tardiness, a casual disregard for our permanent rules of order, a breakdown in the professional respect required to work professionally with all commissioners." She said she is the only commissioner with the time to dedicate to the daily work of the office.

Commissioner Rudd said she nominated herself "because it is time that we have a new fresh set of eyes to lead this body of government," and stopped there.

Commissioner Avant asked the body to commit, after the vote, to moving forward as one body regardless of who won.

Three ballots

The first ballot: four for Commissioner Billingsley, six for Commissioner Avant, two for Commissioner Brooks, one for Commissioner Rudd. Thirteen votes cast, no majority.

Under the rule, only nominees receiving two or more votes continue. Commissioner Rudd dropped off.

The second ballot: four for Commissioner Billingsley, six for Commissioner Avant, three for Commissioner Brooks. Again thirteen votes, again no majority.

Under the rule, only the top two numerical votes continue. Commissioner Brooks dropped off.

The third ballot: nine for Commissioner Avant, four for Commissioner Billingsley.

Commissioner Avant thanked Commissioner Billingsley, Commissioner Brooks and Commissioner Rudd for offering themselves for leadership.

The salary the body voted on

The figures were established at the September 9, 2026 committee meeting, not here. A member of the body is paid $34,900.08. The chairman is paid $36,900. Commissioner Billingsley noted at that committee meeting that the variance is roughly $2,000.

What happens next

The chair serves until August 31, 2027. Commissioner Avant chairs the budget and finance committee under the committee assignments the body adopted on September 28, 2026, and the Commission's 2026 through 2027 meeting schedule was adopted the same day. The next regular Commission meeting after this one was set for September 28, 2026.

Your city. Your money. Your receipts.