"Deb Markowitz is a different kind of politician - a true public servant. She has improved the inner workings of the Secretary of State's office dramatically, making it much for user friendly both for individual Vermonters and for businesses all over the state."
         Bob Young, President, Central Vermont Public Service Corp.

"Deb Markowitz has made a real difference for those of us who work in local government"
         Nicole Daigle, Town Clerk, Derby

"Deb Markowitz has done wonders for Vermont's small businesses. Her web told me everything I needed to know to get up and running - without lots of expensive legal fees."
         Kristin Huysman, Small Businesswoman, Ferrisburg

"Markowitz has worked hard to make her office a source of prompt and sound guidance on
municipal law. In the corporations division, she has dramatically reduced the number of complaints
received, partly by insisting that the office ought to serve as an "engine of our economy," providing
prompt and efficient service to businesses registering in Vermont. She has also reduced a sizable
backlog of cases in her office's professional licensing division. . . .Markowitz is an ardent advocate
for open government and voter participation. She has worked to educate young people about their
civic responsibilities and help make voting easier. . . ."
         Editorial, Rutland Herald, October 30, 2002

"She has turned a sleepy office into a center of resourcefulness and responsiveness. . . . Markowitz has raised the bar on public service expecting superior service and delivering it."
         Editor, Brattleboro Reformer, October 25, 2002

"Deb Markowitz took over a poorly run Secretary of State's office in 1999 with the dual pledge of cleaning the office up and making it user-friendly. She has succeeded at both, . . . The office is now a place Vermonters can call to get immediate ansers to their questions, which is an enormous benefit to city and town clerks. . . . She has made the office more business-friendly, which is another way of saying efficient, a rare thing in state government."
         Editor, St Albans Messenger, October, 2002.

"In the political world, kept promises can be as rare as snowfall in May. What a pleasure, by
contrast, the first term of Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz has been. . . Not only has
Markowitz improved tools to help local officials have their knottiest questions answered, she also
led the effort to establish ethical guidelines for those officials. That idea, now law, can protect local
governments from avoidable conflicts of interest. As for licensing, the backlog of complaints more
than 2 years old has been halved, and the average time to resolve complaints has fallen by two-
thirds. For incorporations, Markowitz has put business forms online and has published brochures to
help start-ups. Her work on elections has been broad, from improving implementation of the motor-
voter registration law to the Kids Voting effort to teach children the value of participating in
democracy. . . . Markowitz has delivered a sound performance. All Vermont can gain from an
encore.
         Burlington Free Press, November 2, 2000

"When Deborah Markowitz won election two years ago as secretary of state, she proved it was
possible for a political newcomer with good ideas and a lot of energy to have an impact in politics. .
. . she has brought her energy and her good ideas to the office, making good on her promise of two
years ago. . . She has reduced the backlog of complaints in the licensing division and worked to
make the corporations division more efficient. She has focused on customer service, making it easier
for citizens who call the office to get the help they need. She helped town clerks understand the
requirements of the civil unions law. She has promoted the education of children about the electoral
process. And she has initiated a program for recognizing the service of longtime municipal
officials."
         Editorial, Rutland Herald November 4, 2000

"Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz is to be commended for her efforts to acquaint schoolchildren with the workings of democracy."
         Editorial, Rutland Herald, January 20, 2000

"For years the Vermont Secretary of State's Office has earned well-deserved criticism for allowing
serious allegations of professional misconduct to sit without action. It is good news then, that
mothballing of complaints is no longer commonplace in the office entrusted with resolving them.
Although she didn't do it alone, Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz deserves credit for reducing
the backlog by 20%. This progress will help instill faith in government and in the professions that
are licensed and certified in Vermont - ranging from nurses and doctors to tattoo artists."
         Editorial, Burlington Free Press, December, 1999

"I commend Deb Markowitz, our secretary of state, for using her own experience of finding an abandoned baby in the woods near her home in Montpelier to prevent other similar tragedies from happening. She did this by getting the Safe Haven law passed. The law makes it possible for a newborn to be safely abandoned without it being a crime. I can't imagine what it was like to find a newborn -- but it was heartwarming to read about them standing together (the baby is now a teenager) at the bill-signing ceremony. I was impressed by how articulate the teenager was, and by her courage in standing up and speaking about her experiences. Deb and Danielle Leonard should feel proud of what they have done for Vermont and how they turned a powerful personal experience into something that will benefit others."
         Wendy Patterson, Hinesburg, Burlington Free Press, June 6, 2006

"Secretary of State Deb Markowitz deserves our thanks and support for her advocacy for same-day voter registration. Voter turnout is key to democracy, and it is gratifying to know that at least one elected official in our state has made this a priority. . . As Secretary of State, Deb Markowitz has become our chief champion of democracy; our other elected officials should follow her lead."
         Emily Gould, Williamstown Times Argus May 30, 2006

"The Safe At Home program initiated by Vermont's secretary of state, Deb Markowitz, has already served more than 100 Vermonters, making their lives safer by keeping their whereabouts confidential without compromising their ability to participate in everyday society. . . I have no doubt that over the years that this program has been in place it has made a positive difference in the lives of the people who have used it. Secretary of State Markowitz deserves to be applauded for her ability, compassion and the expedient manner in which she gets the job done."
         Ellen Terie, Taftsville, Rutland Herald, May 31, 2006

"Deb Markowitz prides herself on the ``culture of service'' that the Secretary of State's Office has offered during her two terms at the helm. While Vermont is frequently criticized for being too bureaucratic and unfriendly to business, Markowitz has developed a reputation for slicing through red tape and putting a priority on client satisfaction. Since she was elected in 1998, Markowitz has maintained the energy and idealism that drew her to politics . . ."
         Burlington Free Press, October 23, 2002

"Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz is to be commended for her efforts to acquaint schoolchildren with the workings of democracy. She announced a new program on Tuesday that is meant to involve children in elections by allowing them to vote in mock balloting alongside the grown-ups. This effort has been undertaken partly in response to the apathy shown by young adults toward the electoral process."
         Rutland Herald, January 20, 2000