Patsy Lewis is formally announcing her candidacy for Carter County Clerk in the upcoming Republican Primary Election on May 1.

A native of Carter County, Lewis was raised in the Range community by her parents, Earl and Norma Arney Hart, who were the owners of Hart’s 4-Way Grocery & Service Station.

“The values of small community living were instilled in me at an early age — respect, ethics, and morals,” Lewis said.

After graduating from Elizabethton High School, Lewis went on to attend the Herman Robinson Vocational Technical School, which is now known as the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Elizabethton, where she earned her certification in office occupations.

Lewis began her career working in insurance and accounting before accepting a position with the Carter County Clerk’s Office. She began working part-time in the office under Roy McKinney and later accepted a full-time position as a deputy clerk under Goldie Pierce.

“I have worked under the leadership of four different County Clerks,” Lewis said. “I have 40 plus years of experience, knowledge, and the skills required to competently and ethically fulfill the duties of County Clerk.”

As a deputy clerk, Lewis issues permits and licenses, files and preserves official records, issues vehicle registrations and titles, and also records the official minutes of meetings of the Carter County Commission. She also currently serves as the liaison for the County Clerk on the Carter County Records Commission, which is tasked with maintaining and preserving the county’s historic documents and archives. In the absence of the County Clerk, Lewis sits in at Commission meetings to fulfill those duties.

After working in the office for more than four decades, Lewis said she feels ready to take the next step in her career by running for the County Clerk position.

“I have prayed a lot about this decision,” Lewis said. “It was a hard decision, but I feel I can use my experience and knowledge to help the office move forward and serve the community.”

“My goal is to see the services of this office stay current and strive for efficiency while serving the public in a friendly and professional manner,” she added. “To serve the public in a public office that you are elected to fulfill is a privilege that should not be taken lightly.”

If elected, Lewis said she would like to see the office participate in state-level training opportunities to help the staff stay up to date on the ever-changing laws concerning motor vehicles as well as the other job duties the office performs at the mandate of the state.

Lewis is a two-time cancer survivor and has been cancer free for more than 15 years now. She is married to Terry Lewis, a Vietnam veteran, and the couple has one son and two grandsons.

An active member of Beck Mountain Baptist Church for more than 30 years, Lewis serves as the Church Clerk and is a member of the choir. Lewis is also an active member of the Carter County Republican Women.

“I am not a career politician. I am a public servant, taxpayer, neighbor, and friend,” Lewis said. “It is a privilege when you get the opportunity to serve your community and possibly make a difference. It’s an honor to even be a candidate. I just hope the community will give me that opportunity to serve them.”