Memphis Shelby County School Board District 1
August 6, 2026 · Shelby County School District, Tennessee · School district · 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 724,876 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(724,876 ÷ 724,876) ÷ ln(724,876 ÷ 1,173) = 0, comparing unified school districts in TN (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: None · only 1 candidate
One candidate is running unopposed, so votes can't change the outcome.
Low representation + an uncontested race → Very low vote impact.
School Board Member is responsible for:
- Setting policy for the school district
- Approving the district budget and spending
- Hiring and reviewing the superintendent
- Deciding school boundaries, calendars, and curriculum choices within state rules
Affected Areas: Government Efficiency, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Public Education Quality, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Michelle McKissack
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Emmy Award-winning journalist and former Memphis Parent editor who has served on the Memphis-Shelby County Board of Education since 2018.
Election sources
Source: electionsshelbytn.gov