[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 139 (Tuesday, August 19, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING JOAN GROWE ON HER 90TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ANGIE CRAIG

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 19, 2025

  Ms. CRAIG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great Minnesotan, 
Joan Growe, ahead of her 90th birthday on September 28, 2025.
  Born Joan Ruth Anderson in 1935, Joan was introduced to public 
service early in her life. Her father, Arthur Anderson, served as mayor 
of her hometown of Buffalo, Minnesota, where she would later graduate 
from Buffalo High School. She then went on to earn a teaching degree 
from St. Cloud State University and spent the following years giving 
back to her community as a teacher and a homemaker.
  In 1972, Joan launched a bid for an open seat in the Minnesota State 
Legislature. While critics mocked her ``Housewives Campaign'', she 
embraced the network of women she'd met through the League of Women 
Voters. She met people where they were, attending coffee parties, book 
clubs, and PTA meetings. This coalition carried her to victory, and she 
spent her time in the Minnesota House fighting for election integrity 
and voting access. She championed Minnesota's same-day voter 
registration law, the first of its kind in the Nation.
  Her election as secretary of state in 1974 made her the first woman 
in Minnesota's history to win a statewide election without prior 
appointment. Her 24-year tenure also made her the second longest 
serving secretary of state in our state's history. During this time, 
she found creative ways to encourage voter participation, from voter 
education campaigns to friendly contests between cities. As a result, 
Minnesota was named the Nation's ``Votingest State'' under her watch--
beginning a legacy of strong voter turnout that continues to this day.
  Since leaving public office, Joan has worked tirelessly to ensure 
that all elections remain accessible and secure. She has been selected 
to serve as an official election observer in various foreign elections 
and served on the advisory committee for the Hubert H. Humphrey 
Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. Her 
expertise in voting and elections is known worldwide, and she continues 
to make our state proud wherever she goes.
  I thank Joan for everything she has done for our shared democratic 
values, for every glass ceiling that she's broken, and for being such a 
dear friend. I wish her a Happy Birthday.

                          ____________________