Discovery Insights Elections Candidates Calendar Watchlist

Yolanda Cooper-Sutton

TN-05 Democratic nominee?

$42.8K

AUG 7, 2026

Primary Election

Party selects its nominee.

Overview

Current roleMemphis City Council member

GenderFemale

BackgroundMemphis City Council member

EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania — Professional Development Certificate in Health Care Innovation

Notable personal detailsYolanda Cooper-Sutton is a Memphis City Council member representing Super District 8, Position 3. She has worked in community healthcare and has been involved with Memphis community organizations including neighborhood and community development groups. She holds a University of Pennsylvania professional development certificate in Health Care Innovation and attended Riley Business College in Dothan, Alabama.

SourcesShow

memphistn.gov actionnews5.com electionsshelbytn.gov legiscan.com memphis.edu fec.gov cookpolitical.com historica.fandom.com williamsoncounty-tn.gov tncourts.gov opentn.org en.wikipedia.org politicalcandidatedirectory.com wilsoncountydemocrats.org washingtonpost.com ttc.tml1.org shelbycountytn.gov dailymemphian.com yahoo.com tri-statedefender.com memphis-cms.altnuxt.com opb.org mlk50.com lawofficer.com votewiser.com nber.org tnvoterguide.org maar.org justmy.com foxnews.com latimes.com cbsnews.com seattletimes.com axios.com dallasnews.com developer.ballotpedia.org ogles.house.gov history.house.gov wikidata.org voterguide.ballotpedia.org justfacts.votesmart.org ballotready.org oversight.house.gov science.house.gov norcross.house.gov ncsl.org congress.gov clerk.house.gov chuygarcia.house.gov judiciary.house.gov govinfo.gov

Positions

LiberalConservative

Economy & Taxes

The candidate, serving on the Memphis City Council, has criticized proposed property tax increases and urged fiscal scrutiny of city budget proposals, emphasizing restraint on raising taxes and closer oversight of spending. She has also described concern about management of public funds and insisted on accountability before approving tax hikes or new spending items.

Climate & Energy

The candidate has raised local environmental and public-health concerns about major industrial projects in her district and pushed for transparency and community input, but there is no clear public record of broader climate policy positions (e.g., support for net-zero targets, Green New Deal–style legislation, or explicit energy-transition plans).

Public Safety & Guns

Supports local gun-safety measures and community-based efforts to reduce gun violence, and has publicly backed city council gun-safety ordinances and prevention programs such as gun-lock giveaways and data-driven interventions. Emphasizes combining data with community 'boots on the ground' strategies to address stolen and illegally used firearms.

New updates coming soon

We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.

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