Memphis Mayor Special Election: Feast of Candidates, Voters Not Hungry MEMPHIS, TN (WKNO) - Voting is underway for in the Special Election for Memphis Mayor. Polls opened at 7am. An unprecedented number of candidates are running, but voter turn out is low. WKNO's Eleanor Boudreau reports.

When stores have specials people turn out in droves. That doesn't happen for special elections. That's "Because we had an incumbent mayor for nearly two decades, and it's a special election where you only have one office on the ballot, the third piece of the puzzle is the fact that you have an unprecedented number of candidate, 25 candidates," Rich Holden said.

Rich Holden works for the Election Commission. He expected low turnout. All in all about 49,000 Memphians cast their ballots during early voting. In a more typical election the number of early voters would be almost double that.

Recent polls show Shelby County Mayor AC Wharton ahead. Still, Wharton's not counting his chickens yet. He says he doesn't even know if his wife has voted.

"I have no idea whether she's voted, I hope she'll vote and I hope she'll vote for me. But I have no idea," Wharton said.

Other candidates are still putting up a fight. I caught up with mayoral candidate Wanda Halbert as she was sticking one of her signs into the grass outside a polling place on East Holmes Rd.

"I'm excited. We have 31 polls covered. For someone who is considered an underdog, that is a great thing to say this morning! So we're just kind of walking around waving to the voters, making sure that we ask them for their support and ask them to spread the word," Wanda Halbert said.

Underdog or not, Halbert isn't ready to roll over. She's didn't get to sleep till 3 am this morning.

"I always try to fall asleep to cartoons. And I set my sleep timer. Well, the Rascals were on. And there was a little girl and she was talking to her classmates. They then switched to the classroom and the teacher was saying - it's there ELECTION day! And I'm thinking, I am not dreaming.' So when the teacher, Class, we have the results in, and the winner by one vote -- is GIIINA!!!' And I'm like, If that is not an epiphany.' So the winner who was running against her said, I actually voted for you.' He said, Because you ran to make a difference, I was just running to win,'" Wanda Halbert said. "So that's the parable for you running?" Eleanor Boudreau asked.

"It's the parable. I mean, on election day," Halbert said.

Early morning cartoons aside, it will be the motivated Memphis voters who determine the outcome of this special election:

"My name is Linda Body and I'm a real estate agent for Chrilike. I voted for AC because I feel like he is the man. Mario Clackston. Jerry Lawler, he'll make a change, we're ready for a change in Memphis."

"Reverend C.E. McClain. Chumney. Because I believe she will be a good leader of this city. And I believe Carol will do a magnificent job. We are one hundred percent behind her. I don't have no race or color. So we are leaving it in the hands of the voter."

And no matter who wins those voters are expecting a change:

Eleanor Boudreau asks, "Do you remember a mayor other than Mayor Herenton?" "Ebony Williams: No. Because I'm 30 and Mayor Herenton has been in office just about all my life. But no I can't remember. I was a little girl when the other mayor was in and Herenton was our superintendent of schools. So I was still in school when H erenton got elected. So really I don't remember too much."

There is still time to vote and add to the turn-out. Polls close at 7pm. © Copyright 2009, WKNO