[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 149 (Tuesday, November 16, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           A TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF THE HONORABLE WARREN SLOCUM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 16, 2010

  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life's work of 
the Honorable Warren Slocum, San Mateo County's Chief Elections Officer 
and County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor, who is retiring after more than two 
decades of extraordinary service to the County.
  There's an old expression that ``the people who vote count, as well 
as the people who count the votes.'' Warren Slocum counted the votes. 
He counted them for 23 years, always keenly aware of the importance of 
both the voters and the counters to the functioning of our government. 
Warren Slocum has been, quite simply, the man behind the machinery of 
our great democracy.
  Long before becoming that man, Warren Slocum was a soldier and a 
student. He enlisted in the Army and served in Vietnam, returning to 
attend San Diego State University on the G.I. Bill, and graduating with 
Honors in History in 1972. He later pursued graduate studies at San 
Diego State and Stanford University and worked in the private sector 
before embarking on his storied public service career.
  Rising from Elections Supervisor to Assistant County Clerk and 
Recorder, Warren Slocum was elected County Clerk-Recorder in 1986, and 
Chief Elections Officer and County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor in 1993. 
Warren Slocum's office gave him the longest official title in the 
County and some of the greatest responsibilities. He managed up to 
2,500 staff and an annual budget of $24 million, overseeing the conduct 
of all elections and voter registration, the valuation of property, and 
the recording of official documents, including birth, death, and 
marriage certificates.
  Warren Slocum pledged and delivered the highest quality service, 
guaranteeing integrity and access in the voting process, promoting 
civic literacy and participation, and providing accurate assessments 
and first-rate record keeping. Under his leadership, overall office 
expenditures were reduced by 20%, making millions of dollars available 
for other programs. Warren Slocum's colleagues have recognized his 
tireless efforts by selecting him to head countless professional 
associations. The San Mateo County Economic Development Association has 
hailed his work as ``an example of responsiveness, efficiency and 
action by an elected official and government office which should be the 
model for all public agencies.''
  Throughout his service, Warren Slocum never stopped seeking better 
solutions. A self-proclaimed ``public sector entrepreneur,'' Warren 
Slocum brought the spirit of Silicon Valley to his many endeavors, 
making the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's office the most 
committed to innovation in the nation. In 1992, and with no 
supplemental appropriations, he converted the old lever voting machines 
to a cutting-edge optical scan system, and followed up in subsequent 
years with an extraordinary display of innovation and modernization. He 
co-founded the Smart Voter Project, which provides sample ballots and 
voter information online, and he was the first in California to 
implement electronic recording. He created the ``Wedding Cam'' system, 
allowing friends and relatives to view civil ceremonies on the Web. His 
blog was the very first on the subject of election reform and verified 
voting, and his expertise on these matters led him to become a leading 
voice on high-tech voting in the New York Times, the Wall Street 
Journal, MSNBC, and NPR.
  Warren Slocum's well-deserved retirement will give him more time with 
his wife Maria Diaz and their two sons, and for his many hobbies, which 
include hiking, kayaking, golfing, reading, and playing the piano. 
Knowing Warren Slocum, however, he won't stop moving. He once swam the 
``Escape from Alcatraz'' race, finishing 286 out of nearly 1,000 
swimmers. No doubt, even in retirement, there are more impressive 
efforts in his future.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 
extraordinary work of Warren Slocum and wish him a retirement filled to 
the brim with good health and many new adventures. Warren says he was 
raised to believe that one person can make a difference, and he has 
been working all his life to do just that. The creativity and 
accountability he has brought to the County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's 
office, and the deep integrity and abiding respect for our system of 
government, have made Warren Slocum a model County official, and a man 
we could count on to count right. I count myself blessed to know this 
dedicated public servant who has done so much to make our democracy 
flourish, and has strengthened our community and our country in 
countless ways.

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