The deadline for signatures to be gathered on the still-forming proposed referendums to allow wine in grocery stores is Thursday, Aug. 21.

The deadline for candidates to file in the set of Bartlett, Germantown, Collierville and Millington municipal elections on the November ballot is at noon the same day.

The Shelby County Election Commission staff is checking signatures of voters on more than 1,300 petition pages at 14 signatures per page in the set of still-forming proposed referendums to allow wine in grocery stores.

As of Tuesday, the Election Commission had certified that there were enough qualified signatures to put the wine in grocery stores referendums on the ballot for voters in Lakeland, Arlington, Bartlett and Germantown.

Efforts in Collierville, Memphis, Millington and unincorporated Shelby County were still gathering enough signatures.

In the case of the Memphis petition there are more than 600 pages of signatures, with Election Commission staff checking each signature to make sure the citizen who signed lives and is registered to vote in the city or area where the particular referendum would be held.

In the suburban races for the Nov. 4 election day, the race for Germantown mayor seemed set by Wednesday, Aug. 20, between Alderman Mike Palazzolo and retired Germantown community services director George Brogdon.

MCDONALD

And Bartlett Mayor Keith McDonald remained unopposed in his bid for another term although potential challenger John Lackey still had a qualifying petition out as of Wednesday.

Those who make that deadline then have another week to withdraw if they wish.

Most of the contenders in the races for aldermen and school board positions made their decisions and filed in June and July.

In addition to the two mayoral races in Bartlett and Germantown, the suburban municipal elections feature contests for aldermen and school board positions.

Even-numbered school board positions are the only municipal elections on the Millington ballot, which along with the other five suburban towns and cities in Shelby County formed its own municipal school district this year and elected separate school boards last year.

By state law, the school board terms must be staggered so the even-numbered positions on the Millington school board are on the ballot this year for full four-year terms. Through Tuesday, incumbents Cecilia J. Hailey and Larry C. Jackson were unopposed. Incumbent Cody Childress had opposition from Emile G. Sigee.

In Germantown, it is also the even-numbered school board positions with school board chairwoman Lisa Parker unopposed as of Tuesday and incumbent Mark Dely being challenged by Gary Tigert.

For alderman, former Shelby County Schools board member Mary Anne Gibson remained unopposed through Tuesday for the seat Alderman John Drinnon is giving up. Incumbent Alderman Greg Marcom is unopposed but potential challenger John E. Barzizza still has a petition out.

Collierville Schools board incumbents Wanda F. Chism and Catherine W. Messerly were unopposed in their re-election bids through Tuesday. That was also the case for the re-election prospects of Alderwoman Maureen Fraser. Fellow Alderman Thomas Allen had no challengers as of Tuesday but Greg Cotton and Donald Grayer still had petitions out for his seat. Alderman Billy Patton had a potential challenger in John E. Stamps III.

In Bartlett, school board incumbents Erin E. Berry and Bryan Woodruff were unopposed as the Thursday deadline neared. Incumbent Bartlett Alderman David Parson was unopposed. Fellow incumbent Emily Elliott had a potential challenger in William Bradshaw Jr. and incumbent Alderman Bubba Pleasant faces a challenge from Mick Wright.