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Debra Bowen Sworn in to Second
Term as California's Secretary of State

SACRAMENTO - The sixth woman in California history to be elected to statewide constitutional office, Debra Bowen was sworn in to her second term as California’s 30th Secretary of State.

"It is an honor to continue working to protect and improve our democracy," said Secretary Bowen. "I wanted to take my oath of office surrounded by the people who work here, meeting the needs of Californians every single day," added Bowen. "People who depend on me to do my job also, whether they know it or not, depend on every single person who works at the Secretary of State's office."

Attorney General Kamala Harris, the seventh woman elected to statewide constitutional office, administered the oath to Bowen in an auditorium filled with several hundred Secretary of State staff, as well as other elected officials and members of the public. Many others watched the ceremony live via the Secretary of State’s website. An archived video will soon be available at www.sos.ca.gov.

As California's chief elections officer, Bowen has worked to boost the security and accuracy of California's elections, and increase accountability of private-sector election contractors. Bowen also oversees the State Archives, various business programs, notary public commissioning, filings for campaign finance and lobbying activity, the Safe at Home confidential address program for victims of certain crimes, the Domestic Partners Registry, and more.

For a complete biography of Secretary Bowen and a list of major duties of the California Secretary of State, go to www.sos.ca.gov/admin/bio.htm.

The California women who have been elected to statewide constitutional office are:

• Ivy Baker Priest, Treasurer (served 1967-1975)
• March Fong Eu, Secretary of State (served 1975-1994)
• Kathleen Brown, Treasurer (served 1991-1995)
• Kathleen Connell, Controller (served 1995-2003)
• Delaine Eastin, Superintendent of Public Instruction (served 1995-2003)
• Debra Bowen, Secretary of State (served 2007-present)
• Kamala Harris, Attorney General (2011)

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