Shelby County Sheriff
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".
Sheriff is responsible for:
- Running the county's law-enforcement department, including deputies and patrols
- Running the county jail
- Serving court orders, such as evictions and warrants
- Providing courthouse security in many counties
Affected Areas: Immigration, Public Safety and Crime Control, Gun Control, Data Privacy, Civil Rights
Candidates
Anthony J. Buckner
Democratic · declared
Anthony J. Buckner serves as chief deputy of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. He has worked for the office for more than 20 years in assignments including patrol, fugitive operations, gang and narcotics units, internal affairs, public information, and training. Buckner earned bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice from Bethel University and graduated from the FBI National Academy. Shelby County election records list his legal name as Anthony Jerome Buckner.
Brad Less
Republican · declared
Brad Less serves as a lieutenant in the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. He has worked in law enforcement for about 30 years, including service with the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, and has served as a special agent in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. Shelby County election records list his legal name as Jonathan Bradley Less.
Records: Public Safety and Crime Control 2 for
Election sources
Source: electionsshelbytn.gov
Source: electionsshelbytn.gov
Source: electionsshelbytn.gov
Source: electionsshelbytn.gov