 Harris was named the president of the school's Board of Trustees, and he served in that position the rest of his life.Elected to the Georgia Senate from 1894 to 1895, Harris then served as judge of the Superior Court of the Macon Circuit from 1912 until his resignation in 1915 to successfully run for Governor of Georgia.He was sworn in on June 26, 1915, and served until 1917 being the last governor of Georgia born outside the state of Georgia.