Criminal Court Judge Division I, District 30, Unexpired Term
August 6, 2026 · Shelby County, Tennessee · County · general
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 0 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 919,173 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(919,173 ÷ 919,173) ÷ ln(919,173 ÷ 5,079) = 0, comparing counties in TN (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
This office is responsible for:
- Hearing trials — criminal cases, lawsuits, family, or probate matters, depending on the court
- Ruling on evidence, motions, and sentences
- Applying state law and court procedure fairly in every case
Affected Areas: Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Civil Rights, Impartiality, Legal Competence
Candidates
Jahari Dowdy
Nonpartisan · declared
Jahari Dowdy is an active Tennessee attorney practicing in Shelby County. She has been licensed in Tennessee since 2005, graduated from Southern University Law Center, and appears as defense counsel in current federal court records.
Records: Legal Competence 2 against
Ray Lepone
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Ray Lepone serves as the Division I judge of the Shelby County Criminal Court in Tennessee's 30th Judicial District. Before joining the bench in 2025, he served as a Tennessee assistant attorney general, a deputy and assistant Shelby County district attorney, and a Juvenile Court magistrate. He earned degrees from Kennesaw State University and the University of Memphis law school.
Records: Legal Competence 2 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 3 for
Election sources
Source: electionsshelbytn.gov
Source: electionsshelbytn.gov
Source: electionsshelbytn.gov
Source: electionsshelbytn.gov