Julie Anderson was sworn in Nov. 24, as Pierce County Auditor by Pierce County Superior Court Judge Kitty-Ann van Doorninck at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma. Anderson thanked the dozens of friends and family in attendance, including her father Donald Anderson and stepmother Sherri Goulet.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Pierce County,” Anderson said. “The campaign messages of hard work and ‘people before politics’ struck a chord with voters. Now, I look forward to living up to those high ideals.”

Anderson won the post earlier this month in a special election to decide who will finish the one year left in the term started by then-Auditor Pat McCarthy, who was elected County Executive last fall.

Anderson succeeds Jan Shabro, who was appointed to the post in January.

The Pierce County Auditor conducts elections and handles document recording, licensing and animal control services.

The auditor supervises a full-time staff of nearly 50, hundreds of volunteers and an annual budget of $8.5 million.

“It will be my honor to work with an effective and respected group of employees,” Anderson said. “My job will be to help them continuously improve and innovate, even as we cut the operating budget.”

She said her goals focus on managing through a time of change.

Anderson spent nearly six years as a member of the Tacoma City Council, including service as deputy mayor. She also has held executive positions with the Washington state Department of Commerce and the YWCA of Pierce County.

Anderson’s community service includes membership on the Advisory Council of the Tacoma Community College Center for Ethical Development, Senior Fellow in the Pierce County chapter of the American Leadership Forum, and membership in the League of Women Voters.