1. Debra Lynn Bowen was born on October 27,1955 and is an American attorney and politician who served as the Secretary of State of California from 2007 to 2015.
16 Facts About Debra Bowen
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Debra Bowen received her bachelor's degree in 1976 from Michigan State University, and her Juris Doctor in 1979 from the University of Virginia School of Law.
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Debra Bowen vowed to continue to serve out the four months remaining in her term as Secretary of State.
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Debra Bowen began her career in politics on the Neighborhood Watch and Heal the Bay.
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Debra Bowen's first elected office was to the California State Assembly, where she represented the 53rd Assembly District in the South Bay, Los Angeles area from 1992 to 1998.
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Debra Bowen was first elected to the California State Senate, representing the 28th State Senate District, in 1998.
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Debra Bowen's district included all or portions of the cities of Carson, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Venice, and Wilmington.
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Debra Bowen chaired the California Senate's Committee on Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments.
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On June 6,2006, Debra Bowen faced Deborah Ortiz, another state senator, in the Democratic primary to run against Republican incumbent Bruce McPherson for the position of California Secretary of State.
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Debra Bowen was re-elected on November 2,2010 over Republican Damon Dunn.
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On February 15,2011, Debra Bowen announced in an email to her supporters that she was entering the race.
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Debra Bowen's candidacy was endorsed by former Vermont governor and Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean, Democracy for America, the California League of Conservation Voters, and the California Nurses Association.
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Debra Bowen came in third, not qualifying for the general election for the seat.
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Debra Bowen is known for her support of opening government to the Internet.
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In May 2007, Debra Bowen commissioned a "Top to Bottom Review" of California's electronic voting systems, to determine their security.
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Debra Bowen was interviewed for the January 16,2008 broadcast of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and was the keynote speaker for the 2008 Usenix Security Symposium.