Charleston County Register of Deeds Karen Hollings today announced she will seek a second term in 2026 as a Democrat. First elected in 2022, Hollings has modernized the Register of Deeds Office, transforming it into a more accessible, efficient, and responsive public resource.
“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in less than four years, and I’m excited about the work ahead,” Hollings said. “We eliminated a 3½-year backlog, reorganized the office for greater efficiency, and made it faster and easier for residents, attorneys, and title professionals to access critical records.”
“I look forward to making my case to the voters,” she added. “Our citizens can’t afford for this office to drift backward.”
A Charleston County resident for more than 50 years, Hollings lives in Mount Pleasant. She was raised on the Isle of Palms by her father, Richard, a member of the Armed Forces, and her mother, Ann, who worked at Belk’s Department Store for more than 30 years.
With decades of experience in real estate, law, and public service, Hollings brings a rare combination of business acumen, technical expertise, and hands-on leadership to county government.
Key Reforms and Accomplishments
• Eliminated a 3½-year backlog of recording, indexing, and imaging documents—completed within the first three months of taking office.
• Reorganized the office for efficiency, improving workflows and updating the organizational structure to better serve the public.
• Implemented an electronic filing system (launched in 2025), significantly streamlining document access for residents and professionals.
• Launched the Property Recording Alert System, a free service that notifies residents of property recordings made in their name.
• Digitizing more than 3 million pages as part of a 40-year records project, enabling full digital access for title searches and real estate closings.
• Preserved historic records in collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, making Colonial-era documents—including the McCrady plats—available online.
• Advancing a full historic restoration initiative, partnering with national vendors to safeguard documents dating back to Charleston’s founding.