Joe Towns Jr. edges out Wanda Halbert for Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A couple of longtime elected officials were separated by less than one quarter of one percent of votes cast in the race for the Democratic nomination for Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk, as of late Tuesday night.

In a five-candidate race, Joe Towns Jr. edged out Wanda Halbert by 121 votes. Towns got 27.53% of the votes. Halbert got 27.36%. If the results hold through the certification process and a possible recount, Towns, who has represented Memphis in the Tennessee House since 1995, would face Republican Edquardo Jamison in the Aug. 6 general election.

Halbert has served on the school board and the Memphis City Council. She is currently Shelby County Clerk, where she faces an ouster suit from the county because of concerns about her job performance.

A trial in the case is scheduled to start August 24. That’s eight days before Halbert’s second and final term as clerk ends.