The Memphis City Council has 13 members: seven who each represent a single geographic district and six who represent two larger super districts. Together with the mayor, they run city government, and every Memphis resident is represented by four of them at once. The current members took office after the 2023 election and serve until the next citywide election in October 2027.
Who Currently Serves
As of 2025, the seats are held as follows:
- District 1: Rhonda Logan
- District 2: Jerri Green
- District 3: Pearl Eva Walker
- District 4: Jana Swearengen Washington
- District 5: Philip Spinosa
- District 6: Edmund Ford, Sr.
- District 7: Michalyn Easter-Thomas
- Super District 8, Position 1: JB Smiley, Jr.
- Super District 8, Position 2: Janika White
- Super District 8, Position 3: Yolanda Cooper-Sutton
- Super District 9, Position 1: Chase Carlisle
- Super District 9, Position 2: J. Ford Canale
- Super District 9, Position 3: Dr. Jeff Warren
Office phone numbers and email addresses for each member are posted on the city’s council page.1City of Memphis. City Council
How Seats Are Divided Across the City
Districts 1 through 7 are single-member districts. Each covers a specific area of Memphis, and one council member represents it. The other six seats sit inside two much larger super districts, labeled 8 and 9, which each elect three members to three separate positions.2City of Memphis. Gov Guide – The City of Memphis
That means every resident has four representatives on the council: one from their numbered district and three from the super district covering their part of the city. District boundary maps are published on the city website, and they’re the fastest way to figure out which four names on the list above are yours.
What the Council Does
The council writes the city’s ordinances and passes resolutions on everything from zoning to business regulation. Its biggest annual task is the budget. After the mayor submits a proposed budget, the council holds hearings, votes on the spending plan, and sets the property tax rate needed to fund it.2City of Memphis. Gov Guide – The City of Memphis The council also authorizes bonds for infrastructure and public works.
Beyond spending, members control land use and zoning decisions, oversee city departments, and confirm or reject certain mayoral appointments to city agencies. If the mayor vetoes an ordinance, the council can override the veto with a majority vote of its full membership.
Most of the detailed work happens in committees covering areas like public safety, economic development, and public utility rates. Proposed measures are usually debated and shaped in committee before reaching the full council floor.
Terms and Election Cycle
All 13 council seats are elected together, in the same cycle as the mayor, giving the city a synchronized four-year leadership calendar. The current members were elected in 2023, and the next election falls in October 2027.2City of Memphis. Gov Guide – The City of Memphis
Council members are limited to two consecutive four-year terms, or eight straight years. After sitting out a full term, a former member can run again. The mayor is held to the same two-term limit.
What Happens if a Seat Opens Mid-Term
Mid-term vacancies are filled by appointment, not by special election. Under the council’s Rules of Procedure, the chair opens nominations from sitting members, and candidates can also submit their own resume and letter of interest; the public may nominate candidates as well.3City of Memphis. Council Rules of Procedure
Each candidate has to prove residency in the vacant district and collect signatures from 25 registered voters there, with the Shelby County Election Commission certifying eligibility. The council then hears from each nominee at a regular meeting or executive session and holds a roll call vote. Winning requires a majority of the sworn council. If no one clears that bar, additional rounds follow: from the second round on, any nominee getting fewer than two votes is eliminated, and after three rounds the chair can move to narrow the field to the top two. The appointee finishes out the unexpired term.
Attending or Watching Meetings
The full council meets on a biweekly schedule, generally on Tuesdays at 4:00 PM. Residents who want to speak during a meeting need to sign in for discussion in advance, as the Rules of Procedure require.3City of Memphis. Council Rules of Procedure
Meetings stream live on the Memphis City Council’s YouTube channel and are archived on the city’s Granicus media platform, which is a useful place to review how a specific member voted on a past ordinance.4City of Memphis. City Council Meeting Archives If you have a concern for a specific member, the direct route is to contact their office through the council page and, where relevant, sign in to speak at the next regular meeting.