Fullilove, Leatherwood lead court clerk races

Well-known local names held significant leads as final results were tabulated Tuesday night in two of the primary clerk of court races in Shelby County.

With 125 out of 166 precincts reporting at deadline, Memphis City Council member Janis Fullilove had a substantial lead in the Democratic primary for Juvenile Court clerk. Fullilove had secured 58 percent of the vote, with Harold C. Smith locking down 32 percent.

“I’ve done everything that I could for my constituents, for other constituents, for all the people,” Fullilove said. “And I think that’s what did it.”

She said she was looking forward to the general election in August.

In the Republican primary, Bartlett Alderman Bobby Simmons was ahead of Robert Hill with 63 percent of the vote.

Simmons noted vote totals were still rolling in, but he was optimistic.

“It was a well put-together campaign, and we worked very hard, very long and hopefully we can hold what we’ve got and win this thing,” he said.

Tom Leatherwood, the county’s current register of deeds, was ahead in the Republican primary to be the Circuit Court clerk with 83 percent of the vote.

He led Steve Moore, Michael Finney and John Lackey.

“I am very pleased with the results at this point,” Leatherwood said, noting he wanted to let his public service speak for itself and not rely on yard signs or other campaign materials.

“It’s just been a labor in love,” he said of his time in the register’s office.

The Democrats, he said, are “nominating a tough slate.”

“I think August is going to be very tough,” Leatherwood said.

In the Democratic primary for the same race, Temiika D. Gipson, was ahead of Del Gill with 73 percent of the vote.

The field of 19 candidates across four races included just two incumbents.

Criminal Court Clerk Richard DeSaussure, III is guaranteed a spot in the August general election as he runs unopposed in the Republican primary. But he’ll face one of three Democratic candidates: Amanda Scott Hill, special assistant and strategist to the Shelby County Sheriff Heidi Kuhn, or Carla Stotts-Hills.

With 125 precincts reporting, Kuhn had a slight lead with 39 percent of the vote over Stotts-Hills’ 38 percent.

In Probate court, incumbent Paul C. Boyd faces a primary challenge from fellow Republicans George “Dempsy” Summers and former Lakeland city manager Chris Thomas. Thomas previously held the court clerk’s job from 1994 to 2010.

By deadline, Thomas lead the race with 53 percent of the early votes. Boyd sat in second place with 37 percent.

The winner of that primary will face Democrat Bill Morrison, a Memphis City Council member, in August.

Both Circuit Court and Juvenile Court are guaranteed to have a new person in the clerk’s role.

Reach Jennifer Pignolet at jennifer. pignolet@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @JenPignolet.