A Carter County official was honored last week during a state conference for her 20 years of service to the community.

Members of the Carter County Election Commission, Carter County Administrator of Elections Tracy Harris, and the Deputy Administrator Janet Brumit attended the Tennessee Association of County Election Officials seminar last week. At the seminar, the election officials received updates on election laws and attended training on increasing electronic security to prevent election tampering and data breaches.

During the conference, TACEO honored Harris for 20 years of service in the Carter County Election Office, 17 years of which she has served as the Administrator of Elections for the county.

“I started in 1998 as a deputy, and in 2001 I was appointed Administrator,” Harris said.

Harris received a certificate honoring her achievement along with a lapel pin indicating her 20 years of service.

Carter County Election Commission Chairman Doug Buckles said after the group arrived at the conference last week they learned that Harris would be recognized for her service. “I was really pleased to find out they were doing that,” he said.

Buckles, who has served on the Carter County Election Commission for about 12 years, praised Harris’ work as the Administrator of Elections.

“She’s done an excellent job for us,” Buckles said. “There is a very, very good working relationship between her and the Election Commission.”

“She’s got the right attitude,” he continued. “She wants to take care of the voters and make sure everything is done right.”

According to Buckles, Harris’ hard work and excellent reputation extends beyond the borders of Carter County.

“She’s got a good base in the state,” Buckles said. “A lot of these other county administrators look up to her.”

Harris said she enjoys her work as Administrator of Elections, especially the excitement that accompanies elections, whether they are on the local, state, or federal level.

“You never know from one election to the next what it is going to bring, whether it is going to be smooth or chaotic,” she said.

One of the hardest parts of the job, Harris said, is staying on top of any changes to state or federal election laws to make sure her office is in compliance. In recent years, a lot of focus has been on computer technology and security to protect the voter’s personal information and prevent election interference.

One of the parts of the job she particularly enjoys, Harris said, is getting to help people make their voices heard.

“I enjoy working with voters and helping them exercise one of our most important rights,” Harris said.