California voters seemed to fight shy of first-timers, re-electing Democrat Debra Bowen as 30th California secretary of state. The Republican contender was a political rookie, ex- professional footballer Damon Dunn.

She will remain the top elections officer of the state, a ministerial position which means regulating state elections, financing of various campaigns and overseeing voting systems.

Debra Bowen first came to office in November 2006 as Secretary of State when she bested Bruce McPherson, the Republican from Santa Cruz. She has been a state senator hailing from Marina del Rey and made news after voicing her reservations about touch-screen voting machines, saying she is opposed to it. This landed her in a spat with county election officials.

She has been a pioneer when it comes to open government reform. She is also a staunch campaigner for integrity in elections, and protection of personal privacy rights. Bowen wrote history in 2006 when she became just the sixth woman to be voted to constitutional office in the state of California.

Secretary Bowen is at the election office helm of the biggest state in the US, and will look into both state and federal elections. She will also check and approve voting equipment, so touch-screen voting machines better run for their lives. The already existing auditing and security reviewing systems will be revamped by Bowen.

In 2008, Debra Bowen was awarded with the accolade Kennedy Profile in Courage, an award given to those who show stellar political leadership.
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