Secretary of State offers ‘Facts and Figures’ of interest
Where do you go to start a business or nonprofit; see detailed election returns; order the Tennessee Blue Book; research local, state, or family history; and check out a digital version of the latest bestseller?
All this and more can be done at the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website, sos.tn.gov. Tre Hargett has served as Secretary of State since 2009, and presides over a tremendous variety of services for Tennessee citizens. We also like him because he is connected by marriage to Lawrence County – his wife is Dawn Simbeck Hargett, daughter of Donnie and the late Donna Simbeck of Loretto.
The website tells us “Secretary Hargett is the chief executive officer of the Department of State with oversight of more than 300 employees. He also serves on 16 boards and commissions, on two of which he is the presiding member. The services and oversight found in the Secretary of State’s office reach every department and agency in state government.”
I recently received an interesting publication from that office, “2024 Facts & Figures.” Here, for instance, are a few regarding Tennessee elections –
* The Heritage Foundation ranked Tennessee #1 for Election Integrity nationally for the third consecutive year.
*During the 2024 election cycle, the GoVoteTN app was downloaded over 187,000 times. There were almost 550,000 Google Map views of polling locations through the GoVoteTN app and web app during the 2024 election cycle.
*19,511 Tennesseans served as poll workers during the November 5th Presidential Election.
*500,000+ unique visitors viewed the improved Election Night Reporting site in 2024. The updated site includes features to view the interactive maps, track individual races, and see updated results without refreshing the page.
Registration with the Secretary of State is a first step for new nonprofits and businesses, and annual filings are required. Regarding Tennessee charities and businesses in 2024 -
*926 new charities registered, bringing the total to 11,144 active charities in Tennessee.
*For the fourth consecutive year, the charitable filing fee was kept at $10, saving Tennessee nonprofits nearly $2 million.
*There were 213 approved charitable gaming event applications. (The Tennessee Nonprofit Gaming Law allows eligible 501c3 and 501c19 organizations to hold an annual game of chance fundraising event, like a raffle, bingo, or local favorite, Bouncing Betsy.)
*94 new athlete agents registered in 2024. Also known as sports agents, the rise of this profession is a result of the growing number of professional sports teams in our state.
The Secretary of State also oversees operation of the Tennessee State Library & Archives, which houses archives of state government and records from families, churches, businesses and organizations. Regarding its operation -
*$300,000 in storage fees were saved through effective state records management.
*The Library & Archives acquired 15,500 pounds of records from state agencies.
*596 legislative meetings were recorded and preserved.
*1,765 hours of document transcription were completed through the Library & Archives’ new crowdsource volunteer transcription project, where users can transcribe handwritten historical documents.
You’ve got to check out the website’s link to the Tennessee Virtual Archives and see photographs, documents, maps, postcards, film, audio and other records about the history and culture of Tennessee. It includes items related to WWI hero Alvin C. York, Early 20th Century Schoolhouses, a Tennessee postcard collection, the Scopes “Monkey” Trial, and more. I guarantee you’ll find something that interests you.
*In 2024 there was an over 500% increase in the Tennessee Virtual Archives, growing the collection to 378,109 photos, maps, documents, etc. The large growth comes from the inclusion of vital records that are popular for genealogical research.
The Library & Archives also offers the Tennessee Regional eBook & Audiobook Download System (READS), where your library card entitles you to free downloads. You can also choose from over 3,000 magazine titles, which you can download and view on your phone, computer, or tablet. Subscribe to your favorites, and new issues are automatically sent to your device.
*51,180 new users joined the Tennessee Regional eBook & Audiobook Download System Program, and checkouts increased by 5% for audiobooks, eBooks, magazines, and videos.
The website allows you to request a current copy of the Tennessee Blue Book, a hefty hardback that includes information about every state House and Senate member, state department and Commissioner, plus history lessons and color photography of our beautiful state. You can also view it online.
*In 2024, there were 9.9 million total page views for sos.tn.gov, an 86.8% increase over 2023.