Continuing what has become a local tradition, the UptheVote901 organization held another in its series of People’s Conventions on Saturday.
The event, held at the National Civil Rights Museum with the upcoming county Democratic primary in mind, was a streamlined version.
The Rev. Earle Fisher, pastor of Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church (“the blackest church in Memphis,” he jested ) and the founder of the People’s Convention series — said that participants were limited to contested races for Mayor, District Attorney General, and County Commission.
As he explained: “We understand that Shelby County is a majority Democratic County. As such, most of the people who will win in this primary will go on to win in August. In order for us to give our people opportunity to vet some of those candidates . . . we chose those districts that we know are important and impactful in the lives of black folks, especially — not black folks only — [but] for black folks, especially.”
Both speaking time and the opportunity to be considered by attendees’ for an on-site straw vote were reserved for candidates who had accepted the organization’s invitation.
As Fisher put it, “When people are not willing to face the people they want to put them in the office, they govern a certain way if they get elected. If people are willing to submit themselves to the people in this process, they govern a different way.”
Among the candidates who agreed to come, there were both no-shows and latecomers. The eventual presence of members of the latter group was acknowledged, though they had defaulted on their speaking time.
All the accepting candidates were included in the straw poll, whether they attended or not. Left off the straw vote ballot were candidates who had not accepted an invitation, and their omission presumably had an effect on the vote outcomes.
Neither candidate for Commission District 5 attended, but both — Quran Folsom and Shante Avant — were included in the straw vote, which Avant won by what was announced as 60 percent of the vote.
Both Charlie Caswell and Alexander Boulton, candidates in District 6, took part, with Caswell getting the straw-vote edge, 59 percent to 41 percent.
From District 7, Kathy Temple and Althea Greene were on hand, with Henri Brooks arriving late. Percentage results were: Greene, 64; Temple, 30; and Brooks, 6.
Sam Echols was the only invited attendee present from District 9, and accordingly no straw vote was recorded.
In District 11, the outcome was Miska Bibbs, 78 percent; Candice Jones, 17; and Eric Winston (who did not appear), 5.
The last District matchup was that for District 12, which was the last one on the program. Since neither of the two accepting candidates was present and things were wrapping up, no straw vote was held.
Meanwhile, there had been spots on the agenda for the offices of County Mayor and District Attorney. The presence of County Mayor Lee Harris, who arrived late, was acknowledged, but no vote was held.
Two of the three D.A. candidates — Steve Mulroy and Janika White — were on hand. Both made stirring appeals, with White stressing what she said was the need for an African American as D.A.
That may have tipped the straw vote her way, with 68 percent for her as against Mulroy’s 32 percent. The third candidate in the race, Linda Harris, an African American like White, had apparently not accepted an invitation to the event, and her name was not included in the straw vote.
