Biographical Background
- Elaine F. Marshall became the first woman ever elected to statewide North Carolina executive branch office in 1996. She also became the first woman ever elected to serve on North Carolina’s Council of State.
- Secretary Marshall worked as a school teacher, business owner, interior decorator, and private attorney prior to being elected North Carolina's Secretary of State.
- Secretary Marshall is a former member of the North Carolina State Senate, who represented the 15th District, which includes the area around her home in Harnett County. She has five step-children and seven grandchildren.
- Secretary Marshall is a graduate of the Campbell University School of Law and holds a degree in textiles and clothing from the University of Maryland.
- She is an attorney who has been admitted to practice before all of North Carolina’s State Courts, U.S. District, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
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Secretary Marshall has received numerous state and national awards and honors, including:
- Honorary Doctorate Degrees at Campbell University, Meredith College and Lees-McRae College.
- Induction into Delta Kappa Gamma (Educators Honor Society) and Gamma Sigma Delta (Honor Society of Agriculture).
- National Notary Association Achievement Award.
- Named to National Notary Magazine's list of "The 50 Most Influential People in Notarization in the Last 50 Years".
- US Chamber Distinguished Service Award to a State Government Official for her work to combat counterfeiting.
- Honorary Gold Record from the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) for her efforts to combat music piracy.
- Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in Business, from the Triangle Business Journal.
- North Carolina 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Common Cause North Carolina Leadership in Government Award for addressing lobbying reform.
For additional information about Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall, please contact the Department of the Secretary of State - Communications Office, at 919-814-5400.
You may also contact the Secretary of State - Communications Office by email: [email protected]