Halbert Signals Interest in 3 County Races, Including Clerk

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Wanda Halbert, the current Shelby County Clerk, has pulled petitions to run for three different county offices in the upcoming May 5 primary elections, including her current position as county clerk. This is despite rules that limit the county clerk to two consecutive terms. Halbert has also pulled petitions to run for Shelby County Trustee and Criminal Court Clerk.

Why it matters

Halbert's decision to run for multiple county offices, including one she is term-limited from holding, raises questions about term limits and the democratic process in Shelby County. It also signals a potentially crowded field of candidates for several key county positions.

The details

According to filings from the Shelby County Election Commission, Wanda Halbert has pulled petitions to run for three different county offices in the upcoming May 5 primary elections: her current position as Shelby County Clerk, as well as the Shelby County Trustee and Criminal Court Clerk roles. This is despite rules that limit the county clerk to two consecutive terms. Aside from Halbert, 12 other Democrats and 1 Republican have pulled petitions to run for the county clerk's race, while 5 other Democrats (and no Republicans) have pulled petitions for county trustee, and 6 Democrats and 1 Republican for criminal court clerk.

• The deadline to file petitions to run for county offices is Thursday, February 17, 2026 at 12pm.
• The primary elections for several top Shelby County offices, including Mayor and County Commission, will be held on May 5, 2026.

What’s next

The Shelby County Election Commission will review the filed petitions and determine which candidates will appear on the May 5 primary ballots. Voters will then choose among the Democratic and Republican candidates for the various county offices.