Paul Pate: From parking lot to Statehouse

CEDAR RAPIDS - There are a lot of differences between paving parking lots and serving as Iowa's Secretary of State, according to Paul Pate, who does both.

However, the Cedar Rapids businessman says there is one significant commonality - the customer.

'It's all about customer satisfaction,” said Pate, 57, who is seven months into his second term overseeing the Secretary of State's Office. 'Whether you're in private sector or government, you have to satisfy a customer.”

Just as customers in the private sector can take their business elsewhere, Pate said, 'In government, you have to meet the expectations of the voters otherwise they know how to turn someone out.”

After being elected to the Iowa Senate twice, Pate was elected Secretary of State in 1994. He did not seek re-election in 1998, choosing instead to seek the Republican nomination for governor. From 2002-06, Pate was mayor of Cedar Rapids.

Last year, with no incumbent on the ballot, Pate ran and won another term as Secretary of State.

He had been approached about running for other offices, including Congress. He decided to run for Secretary of State because, after reflecting in his one term, he felt as if he'd left the post too soon.

'This one is a hard one to admit, but I thought I was doing the right thing in running for governor,” Pate said. 'Now I look back and say, ‘You know, Paul, you didn't finish.'”

Returning to the Secretary's office after an interval of 16 years was a bit of a homecoming, Pate said.

'There were still a fair amount of staff that I knew from my previous tenure,” he said. 'Also, many of the county auditors are still serving and some deputy auditors are now the auditors.”

What has changed are the technology and service expectations.

'As a candidate, I knew there would be some technology upgrades. Now that I'm the officeholder, there are quite bit of upgrades that need to be done,” Pate said. Noting that Microsoft has just announced Windows 10, he described the Secretary of State's technology as Windows 4, 'if there was a Windows 4.”

So technology will be a focus for Pate as well as improving overall customer service. He's also excited about a revamped Caucus 101 program to introduce school children to voting and the political process. It will replace the Kids Caucus he started in his previous term.

This version will be online so it can be accessed by adults, too.

His wants to reach that segment of eligible voters who are intimidated because government seems too big and confusing, those who lack confidence in government and those who question whether their vote matters.

Pate's return to office has fueled speculation that he's planning to run for something else, such as governor in 2018. However, Pate said it's getting harder to see himself doing that.

'The job right now is clearly we want to get the office back to where I think it should be as a real service center, with the resources behind it that it needs,” Pate said. 'I want to make sure Iowa is on firm footing to truly be one of the best elections system in the country.

'We've got a great reputation and I want to keep it.”

It would be easy to 'get sidetracked by the glitter of another campaign,” Pate said, 'but that's not what my intentions are. I'm pretty focused on the mission I have.”

At the same time, Pate won't term-limit himself.

'Again, I never say never because I do believe that public service is something that we should all be obligated to perform,” Pate said. 'If the good people don't stand up and do it, you'll be left with mediocrity, and Iowa deserves better than that.”