Pat Dowell is a lifelong public servant. She has served as a social worker, a city planner, an administrator of several large and small not-for-profits, and a university instructor.
Since 2007, she has served as the Alderman of the 3rd Ward of Chicago. She is the Chair of the Chicago City Council Budget Committee.
Dowell was a significant catalyst for the rebirth of the historic Bronzeville community that occurred in the 1990s. She has an extensive background in urban planning and community development and was one of the primary architects of the Bronzeville Development Plan.
Formerly, Dowell was the executive director of the Near West Side Community Development Corporation, the Mid-South Planning and Development Commission, and Chicago Public Allies, a national youth development organization.
Pat Dowell is the proud mother of an adult son and a longtime Bronzeville resident. As a college basketball star, she earned her bachelor's degree in Developmental Psychology from The University of Rochester and her master's degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. Dowell owns a scrappy Yorkshire Terrier named Toots and is an avid Chicago Bulls Fan.
While she enjoys reading, cooking, and traveling – what she is truly passionate about is helping to serve the needs of her constituents.
Congressman
Ambassador
Cook County Commissioner
State Senator
State Senator
MWRD Vice President
Chicago Alderman
Chicago Alderman
Chicago Alderman, Black Caucus Chair
Chicago Alderman
Chicago Alderman
Chicago Alderman
State Representative
State Representative
State Representative
34th Ward Committeeman
Secretary of State candidate Pat Dowell plans to strengthen and expand the Illinois Secretary of State’s literacy programs. She applauds and supports existing Illinois literacy programs, such as those found in the Adult Volunteer Literacy Grant Program, Penny Severns Family Literacy Project, and the Workplace Skills Enhancement Project.
Read MorePat Dowell, candidate for Democratic nominee for Illinois Secretary of State, announced another innovation for the Secretary of State’s office. She proposed the creation of a digital driver’s license that would be available on your phone, like a boarding pass, an idea that is becoming a reality in many states across the country. The digital license would be available to augment a hard copy license.
Read MoreMy campaign for Illinois Secretary of State will require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Read MoreAlderman Pat Dowell, candidate for Illinois Secretary of State is pledging to secure and improve the office’s cybersecurity efforts to prevent breaches to the integrity of the data security of the people and businesses of Illinois. Cybersecurity is even more important given the increasing reliance on technology in a post-COVID world.
Read MoreEditors Note:Today, September 7, Alexi Giannoulias released his plan for the Secretary of State’s office to price-gouge residents for vanity pictures on their driver’s licenses.
Read MoreAlderman Pat Dowell, Democratic Candidate for Illinois Secretary of State, will attend Labor Day celebrations
Read MoreIn August 2020, I received a robocall from Jack Burkman; the call said, “Did you know that if you vote by mail, your personal information will be part of a public database that will be used by police departments to track down old warrants and be used by credit card companies to collect outstanding debts?”
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