Tony Miller (California)

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For the former Kentucky Congressional candidate, see Tony Miller (Kentucky)

Tony Miller is a California politician and a member of the Democratic Party. He served as Chief Deputy Secretary of State from 1981-1994.

In 1994, then-California Secretary of State March Fong Eu resigned to become United States Ambassador to Micronesia, leaving Miller as Acting Secretary of State. Although Miller was a longtime public servant, Eagle Scout, volunteer firefighter, and veteran, his opponent, Bill Jones, successfully raised concerns among voters about Miller through ads attacking Miller's homosexuality (he had been in a relationship with another man for several decades).

In 1998, Miller ran in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of California, but lost the nomination to Cruz Bustamante. Miller then returned to private practice.

After the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) was passed by Congress in 2002, Miller was appointed by California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley to lead the implementation of HAVA in California.

In 2004, Miller served as special counsel to Shelley when Shelley was accused of misapproproating federal HAVA funds for his own purposes. Shelley eventually resigned in 2005.