Elaine F. Marshall
North Carolina Secretary of State

In 1996, Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall became the first woman ever elected to a statewide, executive branch office in North Carolina. 

Secretary Marshall was a member of the NC State Senate before rising to statewide office. She holds a B.S. in Home Economics from the University of Maryland and a law degree from Campbell University. She has received Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Lees -McRae College and Meredith College.

Her work experiences include teaching Home Economics in the public school and community college systems, co-ownership of a book and gift store, establishing an interior decorating business and the private practice of law.

Secretary Marshall has been very active in many civic groups in the areas of child welfare, women's issues, and agriculture and small town economic development.

Since becoming Secretary of State, she has received numerous state and national awards for leadership in technology, government innovation, and women's leadership. These awards include:

·       The North Carolina 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award;

·       The Distinguished Attorney Award from the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys -- a group that has only awarded this honor twice in its entire history;

·       Induction into the Honor Society of Agriculture of N.C. State University;  

·       The Common Cause North Carolina Leadership in Government Award;

·       The North Carolina Association of Educators’ Women’s Equality Award;

·       The Delta Kappa Gamma Society’s Eta State Founders Award;

·       The Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in Business by the Triangle Business Journal;

·       The National Notary Association’s 2006 Achievement Award, and being named to National Notary Magazine's list of “The 50 Most Influential People in Notarization in the Last 50 Years”;

·       Serving as President in 2007 of the National Electronic Commerce Coordinating Council, a think tank dedicated to bringing best technology practices into all levels of government across this country;

·       Recognized as the leader in state Trademark protection by the US Chamber of Commerce, the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition, Underwriters Laboratories, and a variety of companies;

·       And Secretary Marshall has even received an official “Gold Record” from the Recording Industry Association of America for her law enforcement work to protect Trademarked goods and patent holders.

          She is married and has five step-children and seven grandchildren.