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Kate Brown (politician)
Encyclopedia
Kate Brown is an American
politician and member of the Democratic Party
, She is the current Oregon Secretary of State
and was elected to that office in the 2008 elections
. Prior to becoming Secretary of State, Brown served in the Oregon State Senate
representing Oregon's 21st senate district, which includes portions of Northeast and Southeast Portland
and Milwaukie
. During that time, Brown was elected Majority Leader from 2004 to 2009, and was the first woman to hold that post. As Oregon does not have a lieutenant governor, Brown is first in line to succeed to the office of governor
if the governor should become unable to perform the duties of the office.
, Spain
, but was raised mostly in Minnesota
. She earned a B.A.
in Environmental Conservation with a certificate in Women’s Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder
, and a law degree
and Certificate in Environmental Law
from the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College.
, and practiced family and juvenile law. She currently practices as an attorney with the Juvenile Rights Project, a non-profit corporation
in Portland, providing legal services to children and families with both defense and advocacy programs.
, where she was reelected to a second term before being elected to the Senate in 1996.
In July 2007, Brown announced that she would give up her seat in the Oregon Senate to be a candidate for Oregon Secretary of State
in 2008. On May 20, 2008, Brown won the election for the Democratic nomination
for Secretary of State, and on November 5 she won the general election by a 51-46% margin against Republican candidate Rick Dancer
.
with her husband Dan. She has two stepchildren Dylan and Jessie. She identifies
as bisexual and is the highest-ranking bisexual politician in the United States.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, She is the current Oregon Secretary of State
Oregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
and was elected to that office in the 2008 elections
Oregon state elections, 2008
On November 4, 2008, the US state of Oregon held statewide general elections for three statewide offices , both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and twelve state ballot measures. The primary elections were held on May 20, 2008...
. Prior to becoming Secretary of State, Brown served in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
representing Oregon's 21st senate district, which includes portions of Northeast and Southeast Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and Milwaukie
Milwaukie, Oregon
Milwaukie is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A very small portion of the city extends into Multnomah County. The population was 20,291 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1848 on the banks of the Willamette River, the city, known as the Dogwood City of the West, was incorporated in...
. During that time, Brown was elected Majority Leader from 2004 to 2009, and was the first woman to hold that post. As Oregon does not have a lieutenant governor, Brown is first in line to succeed to the office of governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
if the governor should become unable to perform the duties of the office.
Early life
Brown was born in Torrejón de ArdozTorrejón de Ardoz
Torrejón de Ardoz is a town in the urban area of Madrid, Spain that has about 110,000 inhabitants.It is a town 20 km east of Madrid on the NII highway . It is essentially a dormitory town, mostly consisting of apartments. It can be reached by bus from Av...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, but was raised mostly in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. She earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Environmental Conservation with a certificate in Women’s Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, and a law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
and Certificate in Environmental Law
Environmental law
Environmental law is a complex and interlocking body of treaties, conventions, statutes, regulations, and common law that operates to regulate the interaction of humanity and the natural environment, toward the purpose of reducing the impacts of human activity...
from the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College.
Law
Brown has taught at Portland State UniversityPortland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
, and practiced family and juvenile law. She currently practices as an attorney with the Juvenile Rights Project, a non-profit corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
in Portland, providing legal services to children and families with both defense and advocacy programs.
Politics
She began her legislative career in 1991 in the Oregon House of RepresentativesOregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
, where she was reelected to a second term before being elected to the Senate in 1996.
In July 2007, Brown announced that she would give up her seat in the Oregon Senate to be a candidate for Oregon Secretary of State
Oregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
in 2008. On May 20, 2008, Brown won the election for the Democratic nomination
Oregon Democratic primary, 2008
The 2008 Oregon Democratic primary was a mail-only primary in the U.S. state of Oregon. Ballots were mailed to registered Democratic voters between May 2 and May 6, 2008. To be counted, all ballots had to have been received by county elections offices by 8:00 p.m. PDT on May 20, 2008...
for Secretary of State, and on November 5 she won the general election by a 51-46% margin against Republican candidate Rick Dancer
Rick Dancer
Rick Dancer is an American journalist and politician in the state of Oregon. A native of Hillsboro, he was a longtime anchor for KEZI television in Eugene. Among his other activities as anchor, he covered the Thurston High School shooting...
.
Personal life
Brown lives in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
with her husband Dan. She has two stepchildren Dylan and Jessie. She identifies
Sexual identity
Sexual identity is a term that, like sex, has two distinctively different meanings. One describes an identity roughly based on sexual orientation, the other an identity based on sexual characteristics, which is not socially based but based on biology, a concept related to, but different from,...
as bisexual and is the highest-ranking bisexual politician in the United States.
Awards and distinctions
- 2004 Recipient, National Public and Community Service Award from the American Mental Health Counselors Association
- Past Chair, Council of State GovernmentsCouncil of State GovernmentsThe Council of State Governments is a nonpartisan non-profit organization in the United States serving the state governments. It serves state legislatures, state courts, and executive branch officials and agencies, and is the only multi-branch organization of state governments in the United...
West - "Profiles in Courage" Award, Basic Rights OregonBasic Rights OregonBasic Rights Oregon is an American nonprofit gay rights organization based in Portland, Oregon. It is the largest advocacy, education, and political organization working in Oregon to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. BRO has twelve full-time staff, a contract...
- Legislator of the Year Award, Oregon Psychological Association
- Outstanding Achievement Award, Oregon Family Support Network
- Woman of Achievement Award, Oregon Commission for Women
External links
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Kate Brown (OR) profile
- Follow the Money - Kate Brown
- Kate Brown for Secretary of State official campaign website