Who was the first woman elected to a statewide, executive branch office in North Carolina?
A clue: She said,
Consumer protection is a passion for me – I engage in training to help citizens identify a scam when making investment decisions. Training the public on how to spot and protect themselves from harmful, counterfeit products is also where I have invested personal energy.
Elaine Marshall has served as North Carolina’s Secretary of State since 1997 with five Governors: Jim Hunt, Mike Easeley, Bev Perdue, Pat McCrory and Roy Cooper.
Sam and I have heard her speak several times over the past few years when she visited the mountains. When we met her I could sense the personable yet firm focus it took for her to blaze a trail in winning this office, as a woman, and to keep it.
In public speaking, Marshall’s enthusiasm always leads to how the people of North Carolina benefit every day from what she does in Raleigh:
Oversees business registration, including the incorporation of new businesses
A point of contact for international visitors
Trademark enforcement
Regulation of investment advising
Oversees charitable solicitations
Records financial loans and liens
There are so many things I want to say about our Secretary of State, and all of them are about her conversational way of engaging an audience, and her dedication to generous human values.
Ten days after January 6, 2021, she addressed the NC Electoral College.
I have a hard time putting into words my feelings about what we all witnessed last week at the U.S. Capitol. …
By law, as North Carolina’s Secretary of State, I have had the distinct privilege to serve as the host of the North Carolina Electoral College the last six times it has convened. As a statewide elected Democrat serving as host, I have fully respected the will of the people who have supported a Republican presidential nominee in five of those six elections. …
[E]very ripple of kindness and respect for our colleagues and our fellow citizens can result in a wave of goodwill and trust in our institutions. Each of these actions, while seemingly insignificant, is important as we continue to build a stronger State and a more perfect Union.
And in 2020, Marshall said her goals were “to help enable North Carolinians to better respond to the economic dislocation and disruption caused by the virus.” Who else is saying that these days?
To the above list of Secretary Marshall’s duties, I must add:
Demonstrates positive moral leadership when events leave us speechless