Jerri Green

Jerri Green

Democratic Party

Candidate, Governor of Tennessee

Memphis City Council District 2

Tenure

2024 - Present

Term ends

2028

Years in position

1

Predecessor

Frank Colvett Jr.

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 16, 2023

Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

Bachelor's

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1999

Law

Georgetown University Law Center, 2003

Personal

Birthplace

Memphis, Tenn.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Attorney, Educator, Advocate

Contact

Official website

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Jerri Green is a member of the Memphis City Council in Tennessee, representing District 2. She assumed office on January 1, 2024. Her current term ends on January 1, 2028.

Green (Democratic Party) is running for election for Governor of Tennessee. She declared candidacy for the 2026 election.^[source]

Biography

Green was born in Memphis, TN. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1999 and a J.D. from Georgetown University School of Law in 2003. Her career experience includes working as an attorney, educator, and advocate.

Green has been affiliated with the following organizations:

• Memphis Bar Association
• Association for Women Attorneys
• Tennessee Bar Associations
• Tennessee Higher Education Initiative
• Moms Demand Action

Elections

2026

See also: Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for Governor of Tennessee

The following candidates are running in the general election for Governor of Tennessee on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Carnita Atwater (D)
	Submit photo	Tim Cyr (D)
		Jerri Green (D)
		Adam Kurtz (D)
		Marsha Blackburn (R)
		Monty Fritts (R)
	Submit photo	Cito Pellegra (R)
		John Rose (R)
		Stephen Maxwell (Independent)
	Submit photo	Manasa Reddy (Independent)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2023

See also: City elections in Memphis, Tennessee (2023)

General runoff election

General runoff election for Memphis City Council District 2

Jerri Green defeated Scott McCormick in the general runoff election for Memphis City Council District 2 on November 16, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jerri Green (Nonpartisan)	50.8	1,752
		Scott McCormick (Nonpartisan)	49.2	1,696

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,448
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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General election

General election for Memphis City Council District 2

The following candidates ran in the general election for Memphis City Council District 2 on October 5, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott McCormick (Nonpartisan)	39.0	5,492
✔		Jerri Green (Nonpartisan)	26.7	3,757
		Marvin White (Nonpartisan)	18.1	2,555
	Submit photo	William Frazier (Nonpartisan)	8.9	1,256
	Submit photo	Keith Burks (Nonpartisan)	5.7	799
	Submit photo	M. Rodanial Ray Ransom (Nonpartisan)	1.7	235

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 14,094
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Green in this election.

2020

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 83

Incumbent Mark White defeated Jerri Green in the general election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 83 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark White (R)	54.0	17,738
		Jerri Green (D)	46.0	15,136

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 32,874
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 83

Jerri Green advanced from the Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 83 on August 6, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jerri Green	100.0	4,401

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,401
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 83

Incumbent Mark White advanced from the Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 83 on August 6, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark White	100.0	5,737

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,737
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To see a list of endorsements for Jerri Green, click here.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jerri Green has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Jerri Green, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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2023

Jerri Green did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released April 14, 2020

Jerri Green completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Green's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Jerri Green and I am One Tough Mother. After graduating from law school at Georgetown, I served as a public defender. Currently I serve as the Director of Community Engagement for the Community Legal Center in Memphis, Tennessee, giving voice to those who other wise would have none. I am the mother of three wonderful children. I am a life-long Memphian. I am a three-time gun violence survivor, having lost people dear to me to this horrible epidemic that has gripped our nation. I am not a politician. I am an advocate and an educator. My goal is to bring back common sense and compassion to the Tennessee State House.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• As a mother of three children, I believe we must restore common sense and compassion to our government to improve our community.
• I believe in science and evidence-based solutions. I am pro-public education, against voucher, and for supporting healthcare for our most vulnerable populations.
• I strongly support gun-sense legislation. Gun violence is an epidemic and scourge in this country.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about education, gun violence, and healthcare. Tennessee's public schools are failing, and rather than provide the resources necessary to improve their outcomes, the Republican governor and legislature has backed public vouchers for private schools. I oppose this plan (and currently it has been declared unconstitutional by a trial court). Additionally, Tennessee has refused federal funding designated for Medicaid and TennCare, instead taking block grants and redirecting the funds for other projects. This has led to severe cuts in Medicaid rolls and the most vulnerable in our state are not receiving the health care they need. It has also led to the highest number of rural hospital closures in the country. I believe access to quality health care is a right every citizen should have. Additionally, gun-sense legislation is a priority for me. I oppose permit-less carry and arming teachers. I support universal background checks, red flag laws, closing the boyfriend loophole, and banning the sale of assault rifles. Finally, we need leaders who believe in science based decision-making. We are facing a public health crisis of unknown duration. We cannot be cavalier in how we address the health and safety of our constituents.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have always looked up to strong women in the legal field who worked for positive change and weren't afraid to speak up against injustices, like Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Sally Yates. (I even dressed up as Sandra Day O'Connor in second grade for Halloween.)

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Compassion, integrity, intelligence, common sense. These traits are more and more absent from our leaders and from political discourse. It is my goal to bring them back to the Tennessee State House.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am exactly who I say I am: One Tough Mother. I have spent my adult life being a voice for the voiceless. I am not afraid to take on tough challenges or hold an unpopular opinion if it is the right course of action. I am compassionate and caring.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

First and foremost to listen to my constituents and bring their concerns to Nashville. I represent the people of District 83. I do not represent myself, special interest groups, the governor, the President, the national party, or anyone else. The issues that matter to my district are the issues that matter to me. I also believe it is incumbent on me as an elected representative to act with decency and dignity.

What legacy would you like to leave?

A better world for my three children.

What is your favorite book? Why?

To Kill a Mocking Bird, by Harper Lee. It is as relevant as ever, and it is why I became a public defender.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

The most important differences between the two chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly are their size and duration of service. There are 99 members of the state House of Representatives, and 33 members of the state Senate. House Representatives serve two year terms and Senators serve four year terms. Legislation may originate in either house and a constitutional majority is required in both houses to pass. The major difference, then, is that the Senate has far fewer people to persuade than does the House, given them more power over a longer period of time.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not necessarily. However, I do believe it is important for state legislators actually to understand the law, how it operates both within our state and federal constitutional legal system, and how it impacts our constituents. So much of politics and government today is polarized bluster and rhetoric. Tennessee in particular has been taken over by legislators who have no concept of hat is and what is not constitutional, leading to wasted taxpayer dollars. As stated previously, one of my primary goals is to bring common sense and compassion to the State House. This includes approaching the law in a way that makes sense and is legal, not just what sounds good in a news clip or riles up a fringe base. As an attorney and a professional advocate, I believe I already possess the skills necessary to accomplish what is necessary in Nashville on behalf of my district.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Legislatively, Tennessee is run by a Republican supermajority. This must change if there is to be any sort of representative governance and change will come slowly. District 83, which leans moderate to liberal, is one which is not being served adequately by its current Republican representatives. For the legislature to mirror the demographics of the state in any meaningful way, it must not be a one-party state. Once there is more balance, some of the gerrymandering can be undone and representative governance can be restored.

I also believe healthcare to be one of Tennessee's biggest challenges. Tennessee has seen one of the highest rates of rural hospital closures in the country. The Republican governor and legislature has refused federal funding for Medicaid and TennCare, denying our poorest citizens access to quality healthcare. This is primarily a rural and poor state. If we don't fix our health system, and don't provide access to health care, we are failing at the most basic human level.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

The chief executive of the state's job is to lead everyone, not just marshal his cronies. Legislators are elected by diverse groups of people who want and need different things. It is the job of the legislature to draft and enact the laws that reflect those wants and needs, and the role of the executive to ensure application of the law.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. There is power in numbers. Currently, Republicans are a super-majority in Tennessee. There is no expectation that Tennessee will flip blue overnight. However, if Democrats start flipping some districts, alliances with moderate Republicans become essential to blocking an ultra-conservative legislative agenda.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Right now that is not in contemplation!

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I sat in a room with a dozen mothers and fathers who have lost their children to gun violence. Their heartache and unending pain as we cried together for hours, reliving how their children died needlessly will never leave me. As a person who has had gun violence impact my life three times I understand all to well why we need legislation that protects are communities better.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Jerri Green campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2020	Tennessee House of Representatives District 83	Lost general	$154,146	N/A**
Grand total			$154,146	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

See also

2026 Elections

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Officeholder

Memphis City Council District 2

Website

Personal

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Frank Colvett Jr.	Memphis City Council District 2 2024-Present	Succeeded by -