{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nPhyllis Lee Crisp is the incumbent Blount County Register of Deeds, first elected in 2010 [1]. She defeated challenger Beth Myers-Rees in the May 5, 2026 Republican primary; no Democrat or independent qualified, so the primary winner takes the seat in the August 6, 2026 general election [1][2].\n\n## Background and education\nCrisp is a 1976 graduate of Everett High School [1].\n\n## Career\nCrisp has served as Register of Deeds since 2010, overseeing a staff of nine and managing the office's deeds, liens, plats, powers of attorney, mortgages, and other recorded instruments [1]. She says her office has had zero audit findings during her tenure [1]. In 2026, she warned residents about a scam in which more than 100 property owners received letters offering to sell them copies of their own deeds for nearly $100, when the same documents are available from her office for about a dollar a page or free by email [3].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nCrisp's stated priority for the coming term is enrolling property owners in \"MYLANDALERT,\" a free fraud-alert service that emails owners when a transaction is recorded in their name, as part of a \"Property Protection Initiative\" that also includes plain-English guides and public workshops on deed fraud [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Hats in the Ring: Register of Deeds](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thedailytimes.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/dd/8dde37dd-0e0c-4488-8a49-77ed8b1697a1/69e6f81575f37.pdf.pdf), The Daily Times (candidate questionnaire)\n[2] [August 6, 2026 Official Ballot for Blount County](https://www.blounttn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30077/August-6-2026-Sample-Ballot-PDF)\n[3] ['You do not have to pay' | Blount County leaders warn about 'scam' property deed letter](https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/maryville-blount/blount-county-leaders-warn-about-scam-property-deed-letter/51-06d3fe24-c690-4ffe-a055-b23879191fd6), WBIR","campaigns":[{"contest":"register","county":"Blount","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"Register Of Deeds"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Phyllis","fullname":"Phyllis Lee Crisp","lastname":"Crisp","middlename":"Lee","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"register","contest_title":"Register Of Deeds","county":"Blount","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"register","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"register","contest_title":"Register Of Deeds","county":"Blount","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"register","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"R","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"register","office_title":"Register Of Deeds","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Blount County Register of Deeds since 2010; won re-nomination in the 2026 GOP primary and is unopposed on the Aug. 6 general ballot.","terms":[],"token":"M73QaI2TZX"}