Wanda Halbert wins in county clerk race despite recent controversy

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Despite recent controversy while in office, Incumbent Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert held a narrow lead against her challenger Jeff Jacobs in the race for county clerk.

Halbert has faced scrutiny for the recent backlog of license plate applications in Shelby County, just weeks after county leaders voted to send hundreds of thousands of dollars from the county clerk’s office to the county mayor’s “mail room” where the plates are shipped.

Halbert stood her ground saying her office was not to blame for the delays. A search for answers has led many customers to long lines, now a common scene outside county clerk office branches.

Halbert’s solution, a “no line, no waiting” process, did not seem to help as it intended to, as lines continued despite the changes.

Halbert also announced on July 28 that the backlog of license plates and tags had been cleared, but several customers have reported that they still have not received the plates/tags they ordered before mid-July.

Final results show Halbert won the race with nearly 64,400 votes, whereas Jacobs trails behind at just over 53,800.

Independent candidate Harold Smith follows with a stark 13,400 votes.

Click here to view election results.

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