{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"JARROD \"J\" ELLIS","chatgptsummary":"Jarrod Ellis's biography shows eight years as Carter County Register of Deeds, including modernizing office technology and preserving historical records since 1796 without taxpayer cost. He cites increased mortgage and conveyance tax revenues and collaboration on property-fraud protections. Bio does not indicate prior experience in managing complex title disputes or direct experience with electronic submission workflows used by out-of-county title companies.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJarrod \"J\" Ellis is the incumbent Carter County Register of Deeds and is seeking re-election in 2026, running for the Republican nomination [1]. He has said that \"serving Carter County has been an honor and a privilege\" and has emphasized responsible stewardship and public trust [1].\n\n## Office history\nEllis took office as Register of Deeds in 2018 [1]. The register is elected to a four-year term and is responsible for making and preserving records of legal instruments filed in the county [2].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nEllis says he modernized the register's office technology, positioning Carter County among the most up-to-date in Tennessee, and preserved historical deed records dating to 1796 using earmarked data-processing funds at no cost to taxpayers [1]. He has cited record mortgage- and conveyance-tax revenues from 2020 to 2024 during a period of county growth, and work with other registers and legislators on property-fraud protections [1]. He is active in the community as a member of the Boys & Girls Club board, the Kiwanis Club, and the Friends of Sycamore Shoals board, and as treasurer of the VFW Post 2166 Auxiliary [1].\n\n## Family\nIn his candidacy announcement, Ellis said he is married to Megan and that they have two daughters, Hayes and Blake [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Ellis seeks reelection as Carter County register of deeds \u2014 Elizabethton Star](https://elizabethton.com/2025/12/19/ellis-seeks-reelection-as-carter-county-register-of-deeds/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Register of Deeds \u2014 Carter County TN](https://www.cartercountytn.gov/government/elected_officials/register_of_deeds.php) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"JARROD","lastname":"ELLIS","middlename":"\"J\"","suffix":null,"token":"62GTzDCCQ6"},"token":"jarrod_j_ellis"},{"candidatename":"WILLIAM MICHAEL FRALEY","chatgptsummary":"William Michael Fraley's biography shows extensive law enforcement leadership as Carter County sheriff since 2022, yet it lacks specific evidence of records management for deeds or mortgages, familiarity with Tennessee recording statutes, or experience with electronic title submission workflows required for the Register of Deeds. Bio does not indicate experience in land record indexing or budget management for modernized public-access systems.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nWilliam Michael \"Mike\" Fraley is the incumbent sheriff of Carter County and is seeking re-election in 2026 [1][2]. He won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary with more than 69% of the vote, defeating former deputy Thomas Smith [1][2]. After the primary, Fraley said he wanted to \"build on what we started four years ago\" and to \"finish what I started\" [1].\n\n## Office history\nFraley has served as Carter County sheriff since 2022 [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Mike Fraley wins Republican primary for Carter County sheriff \u2014 Elizabethton Star](https://elizabethton.com/2026/05/05/mike-fraley-wins-republican-primary-for-carter-county-sheriff/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [This year is shaping up to be busy political year \u2014 Elizabethton Star](https://elizabethton.com/2026/03/10/this-year-is-shaping-up-to-be-busy-political-year/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"WILLIAM","lastname":"FRALEY","middlename":"MICHAEL","suffix":null,"token":"v9YmElJtpO"},"token":"william_michael_fraley"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"register_of_deeds","o.office":null,"office":"register","officedescription":"The register of deeds maintains the county's permanent public record of real-property instruments \u2014 deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats \u2014 and collects the state transfer and mortgage taxes on them. The record the office keeps is the legal backbone of property ownership.","officequalities":"- Records management of deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and other instruments affecting title to land.\n- Working knowledge of Tennessee recording statutes, the recording-tax schedule, and the increasingly-electronic submission workflow used by title companies.\n- Accuracy and indexing discipline \u2014 an error in the register's records can cloud title for years.\n- Public-access service: the records are open, and the office serves both professional users and individual property owners.\n- Budget and technology literacy for maintaining a searchable, modern record system.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Register of Deeds","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-19","title":"carter County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://cms3.revize.com/revize/cartercounty/AUG%202026%20SAMPLE%20BALLOT.pdf"},"title":"Register Of Deeds"}