Evan Low

Evan Low
(Chinese: 羅達倫; pinyin: Luó Dálún)
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 28th district
Assumed office
December 1, 2014
Preceded by Paul Fong
Mayor of Campbell
In office
December 2010 – 2014
Preceded by Michael Kotowski
Succeeded by Jeff Cristina
Member of the Campbell City Council
In office
2006–2014
Personal details
Born (1983-06-05) June 5, 1983
San Jose, California
Nationality American
Political party Democratic
Residence Campbell, California
Alma mater San Jose State University (BA)
Occupation Politician

Evan Low (Chinese: 羅達倫; pinyin: Luó Dálún) (born June 5, 1983) is an American politician currently serving in the California State Assembly.[1] He is a Democrat representing the 28th Assembly District, which encompasses parts of the South Bay and Silicon Valley. He is a member of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus (serving as chair since 2017), and the California Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

Prior to his election in the Assembly in 2014, Low served as Mayor and City Councilmember in Campbell, California.

Early life

Low was born in San Jose, California on June 5, 1983 to Chinese American optometrist Arthur Low. Low grew up in San Jose, California and attended Leland High School. In 2003, Low moved to Campbell, California.[2][3][4]

Education

Low earned a bachelor's degree in political science from San Jose State University.[3][4] He participated in a three-week program, the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program, at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.[4]

Campbell City Council

In 2004, Low unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the City Council, but he ran again in 2006 and won in his second attempt. Low worked as a senior district representative for California's former 28th State Assembly district Assemblymember Paul Fong.[2][3]

When his colleagues selected him to become Campbell mayor in 2009, Low became the youngest openly gay, Asian American Mayor in the nation.[5]

In 2013, his colleagues on the Campbell City Council selected him to serve as Mayor for a second time.[6] His term on the council expired in 2014.

California Assembly

In 2014, Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins appointed Low as Assistant Majority Whip.[7] Low was kept in the same leadership role by Atkins's successor, Speaker Anthony Rendon, in 2016.[8]

Low chairs the California Assembly Business and Professions Committee as well as the Legislative LGBT Caucus. [9]

Low is a co-founder and co-chair of the California Legislative Tech Caucus, a bi-partisan group of Assemblymembers and Senators engaged in a statewide effort to ensure that California remains the global leader in technology and innovation. The Caucus is committed to learning about, protecting and promoting California’s technology and innovation sector. The Caucus seeks to foster and promote technology and innovation, support legislation that creates jobs, improve the use of technology to improve the lives of people, promote the technology and innovation climate in California, and engage on emerging policy issues.." [10] There are 24 members of the Tech Caucus.[11]

In 2016, Low introduced AB 1887 that would ban all California state-funded travel to states that enacted laws to discriminate against individuals based upon sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, that was supported by U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.[10]

In 2016, New York Magazine identified Low as a potential United States presidential candidate in 2024 along with nine other young Democrats who, like Obama, have unusual ambition.[12]

He has been a leader in the state legislature with numerous bills signed. In 2017, he had the most bills signed by any member of the state assembly by Governor Jerry Brown. [13] He has also been credited with driving the future of Uber and Lyft in the California State Legislature. [14]

Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg recognized him for advancing the technology and innovation economy in the state of California. [15]

2014 California State Assembly

California's 28th State Assembly district election, 2014
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Evan Low 30,807 39.7
Republican Chuck Page 20,895 26.9
Democratic Barry Chang 19,156 24.7
Republican Michael Hunsweck 6,732 8.7
Total votes 77,590 100.0
General election
Democratic Evan Low 71,239 59.4
Republican Chuck Page 48,645 40.6
Total votes 119,884 100.0
Democratic hold

2016 California State Assembly

California's 28th State Assembly district election, 2016
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Evan Low (incumbent) 83,038 71.5
Republican Nicholas Sclavos 33,154 28.5
Total votes 116,192 100.0
General election
Democratic Evan Low (incumbent) 136,547 70.0
Republican Nicholas Sclavos 58,641 30.0
Total votes 195,188 100.0
Democratic hold

Honors

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom issued a Proclamation naming June 5, 2006, “Evan Low Day” in the City and County of San Francisco.[5][16][17]

Assemblymember Low has been named "Legislator of the Year" by the Internet Association, TechNet, The Computing Technology Industry Association, California Faculty Association, Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, California District Attorneys Association and Faculty Association of California Community Colleges. [18] [19] [20] [21]

References

  1. ↑ "Election results, Santa Clara County, November 2014". The Mercury News. November 4, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  2. 1 2 McLaughlin, Ken (December 7, 2009). "Campbell picks young, gay mayor". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 Jones, Carolyn (December 2, 2009). "Young, gay Asian becomes mayor of Campbell". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 "Campbell Council Expected To Elect Country's Youngest Openly Gay Mayor". KTVU. December 1, 2009. Archived from the original on December 16, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
  5. 1 2 Vongsarath, Chris (2009-12-02). "Campbell's Evan Low sworn in as youngest Asian-American, openly gay mayor in the country". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2015-06-24. ... following in the footsteps of his father, Dr. Art Low, a former Campbell Chamber of Commerce President and the 1994 Citizen of the Year.
  6. ↑ Babcock, Brian (January 3, 2013). "Evan Low says he'll focus on 'issues that unite us'". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved April 24, 2013. [Low] wanted to become a teacher, while his father Arthur wanted him to take over his optometry business.
  7. ↑ White, Jeremy (November 25, 2014). "California Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins announces leadership team". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  8. ↑ White, Jeremy (March 10, 2016). "Speaker Rendon names new California Assembly committee chairs". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  9. ↑ https://a28.asmdc.org/biography
  10. 1 2 Miller, Cheryll (October 13, 2015). "State Lawmakers Form Tech Caucus". The Recorder. ALM Media Properties, LLC. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  11. ↑ Bajko, Matthew (April 7, 2016). "Political Notebook: Pelosi backs CA banning travel to stateswith anti-LGBT laws". Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  12. ↑ Cogan, Marin (February 25, 2016). "Is There a 'Next Obama' on the Democratic Party Bench?". New York Magazine. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  13. ↑ http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article179422496.html
  14. ↑ http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-pol-sac-future-of-uber-taxi-law-20170615-htmlstory.html
  15. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=54&v=ZMqLO2MC6sA
  16. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2013-04-24.
  17. ↑ Elias, Jennifer (2010-02-04). "New Campbell mayor credits much of his success to SJSU". Spartan Daily. San Jose State University. Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2015-06-24. Low said he was rejected from every major college he applied.
  18. ↑ http://www.techwire.net/news/low-named-2017-legislator-of-the-year-by-tech-association.html
  19. ↑ http://www.calfac.org/news-release/cfa-honors-legislators-dedicated-helping-protect-propel-higher-education-state
  20. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/Assemblymemberlow/posts/10154336877480823
  21. ↑ http://www.faccc.org/blog/2015/07/10/political-spotlight-assemblymember-evan-low-d-campbell/
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