Deb Markowitz
As Secretary of State, Deb is the constitutional officer chiefly responsible for Vermont's elections, the State Archives, professional licensing and business registrations, and for providing educational assistance to Vermont's local officials. She is the first woman to be elected Secretary of State in Vermont. She is currently running for a fifth term in office. Secretary Markowitz has a distinguished record of achievement. She is widely recognized for enhancing customer service at the Secretary of State's office and for eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy to make it easier to start and expand businesses in Vermont. She has also eliminated the backlog of professional licensing complaints in the office of Professional Regulation and she has strengthened the office's prosecutions. During her tenure, Secretary Markowitz has made it a priority to improve Vermont's democracy and promote good citizenship. Her "Citizen's Guide to Town Meeting," and "Moderator's Handbook" help Vermonters participate more fully in their annual town meetings. Over the past 7 years, Markowitz has helped schools throughout Vermont bring civics education into the classroom at all levels by providing teachers with curriculum materials including a comprehensive mock-election program, materials on Vermont's Town Meeting Day, resources on Vermont's legislative process and age-appropriate information about Vermont's history, culture and geography. Markowitz also created programs to celebrate outstanding civic service in Vermont. The Vermont Public Service Awards recognize Vermonters who have served twenty or more years in local office. The Centennial Business and Nonprofit Awards acknowledge Vermont businesses and organizations that have enriched Vermont's economic heritage and have enhanced our community life for over one hundred years. Ensuring smooth-running elections is one of the most important roles of the Secretary of State, and Markowitz has modernized the administration of Vermont's elections, resulting in fewer problems and complaints during elections. She implemented an ambitious election reform agenda that included widespread voter education and outreach programs. The results of her efforts are impressive: In the 2004 elections, Vermont had a near-record voter turnout (64%), with 20% of the voters exercising their right to vote early or by mail. The Secretary of State's office provides ongoing support to Vermont's cities and towns. Markowitz spearheaded an effort to get legislation passed to enable Vermont's communities to adopt binding ethics policies for their local officials. To help answer questions and enrich dialogue among local officials, Markowitz publishes a monthly newsletter, "Opinions," that is read by thousands of local officials each month. She has published numerous educational handbooks on a variety of municipal issues. Her office fields calls regularly from local officials and Markowitz is widely respected as one of the most knowledgeable resources in the State on legal and ethical issues for local officials. Markowitz is a champion of open government. She was instrumental in strengthening the laws that ensure that important records of government will be preserved in the State Archives. Markowitz has taken the lead on e-government by building a state-of-the-art web site that receives more than 35,000 hits every day, and by working to improve the security of Vermont's digital records. She also established the Safe at Home program, which prevents certain victims of domestic violence from being tracked down by their perpetrators through public records, without requiring the closure of those records. A graduate of the University of Vermont (B.A., 1983), Markowitz received her Juris Doctorate degree from the Georgetown University Law Center (magna cum laude,1987). Markowitz served as a law clerk with Justice Louis Peck of the Vermont Supreme Court (1987 - 1988) and practiced law with Langrock, Sperry, Parker and Wool (1988 - 1990). She served as the founding director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns Municipal Law Center (1990 - 1997), where she published numerous handbooks and academic papers on local government law and lectured locally and nationally on issues related to municipal law and on ethics in government. Markowitz has served on numerous state and national boards and commissions. She presently serves on the Vermont Girl Scout Council, the Central Vermont Community Action Agency, and the Vermont Women's Business Center Advisory Board. Markowitz serves on the executive committee of the Election Assistance Commission's Standards Board. She will serve as the President of the National Association of Secretaries of State beginning July 2006, and she was just honored by being named a Rodel Fellow by the Aspen Institute. Secretary Markowitz and her husband Paul live in Montpelier with their three children. | |||
