CACEO Bylaws, Article IV, Section 2(d) state: “Honorary Membership may be granted by majority vote of the Board of Directors to individuals, including retired deputies and others, who have made significant contributions to the Association.”

Since the Association was established in 1908, the following outstanding persons have been granted the title of Honorary Member of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials.

CURT FIELDER

DFM Associates, Vice President

Honorary Membership granted by the CACEO Board of Directors on July 8, 2008. Mr. Fielder was nominated by CACEO Treasurer Gail Pellerin (Santa Cruz). The motion carried unanimously.

Curt Fielder started in elections in 1966 when he started MSC, Mathematical Systems Corporation, with his voting system invention DataVote. Mr. Fielder went to work for Diamond International (currently known as Sequoia Voting Systems) in 1967. In 1977, Mr. Fielder started DFM Associates in Irving, California in direct response to the need for more sophisticated Voter Registration and Election Information Management System solutions and has remained in dedicated service of county government since its inception.  DFM was the first to develop and market an integrated Voter Registration and Election Management software system and over the years have perfected and enhanced it. Today, DFM serves 33 counties in California and several counties in Illinois and Washington.

BRUCE MCPHERSON

Former Secretary of State

Honorary Membership granted by the CACEO Board of Directors on December 6, 2006. Mr. McPherson was nominated by CACEO President Steve Weir (Contra Costa). The motion carried unanimously.

The Honorable Bruce McPherson served as our 30th Secretary of State from March 30, 2005 to January 2007. During that tenure he provided outstanding service to the State of California and to the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials. Thanks to his leadership, California was fully compliant with the federal Help America Vote Act in 2006.

JOHN DAVI

Retired Vice President, Sequoia Pacific Systems, Inc.

Honorary Membership granted by the CACEO Board of Directors on December 7, 1994.

John Davi worked in the elections industry for 50 years, 40 of which with Sequoia. He managed the development of DataVote and provided election services to 54 California counties. Under his leadership, Sequoia became the largest election supply company in the United States.

MARCH FONG EU

Former Secretary of State

Honorary Membership granted by the CACEO Board of Directors on ???

The Honorable March Fong Eu, was the first woman Secretary of State and the person who sponsored post card registration. She served in the State Legislature prior to becoming Secretary of State.

ROBERT C. FRAZEE

Former Member of the Assembly

Honorary Membership granted by the CACEO Board of Directors on January 26, 1994.

Former State Legislator and Chairman of the Assembly Elections Committee.

MAXINE WATERS

Former Member of the Assembly

Honorary Membership granted by the CACEO Board of Directors on August 4, 1982.

Congresswoman from Los Angeles County, former State Legislator and Chair of the Assembly Elections Committee.

JIM ELLIS

Former State Senator

Honorary Membership granted by the CACEO Board of Directors on ???

Served on the Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee from 1981 to 1984 and the Senate Elections Committee from 1985-1988.

ALDEN J. FULKERSON - deceased

Attorney at Law

Honorary Membership granted by the CACEO Board of Directors on December 9, 1982.

Mr. Fulkerson is the attorney who represented CACEO in its lawsuit to stop the courts from taking over the clerk of the court function.  Although the Association was unsuccessful in that pursuit, he was a good friend of the association.

JOHN E. THURMAN, JR. – deceased

Former Member of the Assembly

Honorary Membership granted by the CACEO Board of Directors on ???

Senator Thurman was instrumental in changing the law to allow any voter to request a vote-by-mail ballot.