Memphis Charter Commission
Our Memphis Charter has been revised by University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service under the leadership of our consultant Steve Lobertini. This draft is now being reviewed by Professor Stephen Wirls, Rhodes College Department of Political Science. After he has completed his work, this draft will be reviewed by all former city attorneys and other volunteer lawyers as well. The Memphis Charter Commission will consider approving this document. Upon approval the new Memphis Charter will be adopted and published in the Charter and Related Laws, City of Memphis, Tennessee. The Charter Commission will cease to exist after approval of the new Memphis Charter. Please take a minute to listen to our most recent meeting on December 9, 2008 by clicking on the "ARCHIVES of Charter Commission Meetings" icon on this page.
The Memphis Charter Commission wants to hear from YOU.
The citizens of Memphis overwhelmingly approved the Charter Commission Referendums on the November ballot. These and all previous amendments have been incorporated into this document Memphis Charter Final. We want the public's input. Please review the draft City of Memphis Charter and email the Charter Commission members with any comments. According to the Tennessee State Attorney General, this will be our new city charter upon approval by the Charter Commission.
If you are a citizen of the City of Memphis and you want to participate in the process of making modifications to our charter, please communicate your issues and/or recommendations to the Commissioners.
You can provide input by sending an email to any or all of the Commissioners (see individual member pages for email addresses), or you can send a letter to:
Memphis Charter Commission
125 N. Main, 5th floor, City Hall
Memphis, TN, 38103.
The citizens of Memphis overwhelmingly approved the Charter Commission Referendums on the November ballot. These and all previous amendments have been incorporated into this document Memphis Charter Final which is under review by former City Attorneys. We also want the public's input. Please review the draft City of Memphis Charter and email the Charter Commission members with any comments. According to state law, this will be our new city charter upon approval by the Charter Commission. The commission meets on December 9th at 3:00 in room 514 of City Hall, 125 N. Main Street and we hope to approve the charter at this meeting.
Charter Commission Referendums on the November Ballot
80% YES Requiring Voter Approval to Sell MLGW
Any proposed sale of MLGW or any of its electric, gas and/or water assets shall not be final until approved by a majority of the voters of Memphis.
75% YES Requiring Elected Official Charged with Official Malfeasance Be Suspended with Pay Pending Resolution of the Matter
Any elected or appointed official indicted or charged with official malfeasance shall be suspended with pay pending resolution of the charge.
85% YES Amends the Process to Fill Vacancy in Office of the Mayor
In the event the Office of Mayor becomes vacant, the City Council Chair who would have the title of Mayor Pro Tem, shall serve up to 180 days if there is a general or municipal election scheduled election to occur within that 180 day period. If there is no election scheduled, then a special election shall be held within 90 days of the vacancy.
78% YES Term Limits - Limiting Council and Mayor to 2 Terms
Mayor, City Council and City Court Clerk shall serve no more than 2 consecutive terms in any given office.
80% YES Staggered Terms for City Council
Would establish staggered terms for City Council seats.
For the first election - single district representatives would be elected for a term of one year, and super district representatives would be elected for three years. For all subsequent elections, the term would be four years. The initial short term will not count against term limits.
71% YES Instant Runoff Voting
This would be consistent with the mandates of federal and state law, and applicable court decisions.
Instant Runoff Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Any candidate receiving a majority of the first-preferences for that office wins the election. If no such candidate exists, instant runoff tabulation shall be conducted in rounds. In each round, each ballot shall count as a single vote for whichever non-eliminated candidate is ranked highest. After each round, the candidate with the fewest votes shall be eliminated, with the votes for that candidate redistributed to the remaining non-eliminated candidates based on the order of preferences indicated on each of the affected ballots. If the redistribution of votes results in a candidate receiving a majority of the votes, that candidate is elected. Otherwise, the candidate then having the fewest votes shall be eliminated, and the votes are redistributed as before, with the process of candidate elimination and vote redistribution continuing until one candidate has a majority of the votes cast or only one candidate remains. The Election Commission shall adopt regulations consistent with the procedure above to facilitate implementation of instant runoff voting.
Sitting from left to right: Sharon Webb, Janis Fullilove, Sylvia Cox and Marsha Campbell
Standing from left to right: George Brown, Willie Brooks and Myron Lowery
What is the Memphis Charter Commission?
Memphis is a "home rule" city that operates under a contract --a charter-- that is determined by the electorate. Any municipality, after adopting home rule, may continue to operate under its existing charter, make amendments, or adopt a new charter to provide its governmental or proprietary powers. An amendment may be advanced by ordinance of any home rule municipality by a charter commission provided for by act of the General Assembly and elected by qualified voters.
Many Memphians believe that recent and current events are evidence that change is needed for Memphis. The Charter Commission is a non-partisan group that will review the current city Charter and recommend changes. The recommended changes will be presented to the citizens of Memphis in the form of voter referendums.
Memphis' prosperity, to an extent, will be determined by the Charter Commission's true insight.
Through the judgment of this Commission, Memphians gave birth to a change that will help Memphis progress in the right direction. The Charter Commission will have 2 years to review the charter and ordinances and formulate recommended changes. Those changes will be presented to the voters as a referendum - you, the citizens of Memphis, will ultimately accept or reject the recommended changes.