Lena Chipman
Lena Chipman (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners to represent District 13 in Tennessee. Chipman declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on May 5, 2026.[source]
Chipman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Lena Chipman graduated from Germantown High School. Chipman earned a graduate degree from the University of Memphis in 2007. Chipman's career experience includes working as a technology executive.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Municipal elections in Shelby County, Tennessee (2026)
General election
The primary will occur on May 5, 2026. The general election will occur on August 6, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Shelby County Board of Commissioners District 13
Lena Chipman (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Shelby County Board of Commissioners District 13 on May 5, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Lena Chipman  | |
| ||||
| = 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
Chipman received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Lena Chipman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Chipman's responses.
| Collapse all
With a career grounded in service, communication, and advocacy, I've dedicated myself to amplifying the voices of those too often left out of the conversation. I believe leadership isn’t about titles — it’s about showing up, standing firm, and leading out loud for what’s right. My leadership style is defined by authenticity, courage, and my commitment to leading out loud — not quietly asking for change, but boldly creating it.
I've lived across Shelby County, from the edge of Germantown to North Memphis, from the University of Memphis area to Central Gardens where I now call home. As a woman in tech, I could choose to live elsewhere, but I chose to go to college here, to marry my wife here, and to raise our child here. I believe we can be the next big Southern success story! My career is built on solving the most complex problems, and I will bring those skills to public service.
As a transgender woman, I understand that representation isn’t symbolic — it’s essential. I'm ready to bring new energy and accountability to local government!- Transform Power into Progress! That means accountability, access, and smart investments that move us forward, not more of the status quo. It means government that works for you, not against you or around you, with active steps to increase transparency and accountability for the services you use. It means community input transformed into useful action items, with livestreams and real-time access to me and constituent services so you know what's at stake and can make your voice heard. It includes working to prioritize consistent transit investment that improves access without limitations, so you can get where you need to go, when you need to get there. Shelby County can step into the future, if only we use our power wisely!
- Translate Ideas into Impact! This means turning ideas received through community input into real outcomes for our neighborhoods, not just listening to consultants and keeping the status quo. It means smart growth, without displacement, by promoting and prioritizing organizations run by and for members of marginalized communities, as well as mixed-use developments to attract creative, high-tech businesses. We don't need xAI -- we need startups solving real problems. It means public safety that actually makes us safer by investing into youth programming, mental health, and intervention service with proven results. The best ideas are the ones that come from the people, and I'll turn them into real change for our communities!
- Transfer Privilege into Shared Prosperity! This means that everyone deserves a fair shot -- no matter your ZIP code, identity, or income. I'll work to ensure equitable access to voting locations by eliminating transportation barriers. I'll protect and empower our kids by prioritizing universal Pre-K funding and holding the school board accountable. I'll work to expand resources for mental health and substance-use treatment, diversion, and re-entry care to help up those who've fallen down. I'll reduce barriers to county services, oppose unconstitutional attacks on LGBTQ+ persons, and champion small-business support for immigrant entrepreneurs. Making the lives of everyone better is the only use for privilege!
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.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 6, 2026
 |
State of Tennessee Nashville (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2026 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
