Dan Dow was elected District Attorney of the County of San Luis Obispo on June 3, 2014 and assumed office on November 7, 2014.  He was reelected for a second term on June 5, 2018. Dan is an Army veteran and a career prosecutor dedicated to protecting victims, ensuring justice and reducing crime in our community.

While serving in the US Army, Dan attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California where he became fluent in the Korean language and earned the Martin J. Kellogg Award for his achievement as the top graduate in his class.

After completing his service in the active Army, Dan attended California State University, Hayward where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science.  Dan later attended Santa Clara University School of Law where he earned his Juris Doctorate.
Dan continues his military service as a reserve officer in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the California Army National Guard. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during his deployment to Iraq under Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.  Dan was also deployed to Kosovo under Operation Enduring Freedom.

As a career prosecutor, Dan has focused on prosecuting domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse crimes where he seeks to bring justice for victims of particularly devastating crimes that are committed against those least capable of protecting themselves. He considers it a high calling and a privilege to serve victims and to hold offenders accountable for their actions.
Dan played a vital role as a part of the collaborative team that brought Veterans Treatment Court to the County of San Luis Obispo. Launched in June of 2013, the Veterans Treatment Court seeks to address the growing number of veterans entering the criminal justice system as a result of traumatic experiences they endured while in the military.  The unique Veteran’s Treatment Court seeks to rehabilitate veteran offenders, reduce recidivism and reduce costs to the taxpayers.
Dan and his wife Wendy, a local small business owner and reading instructor, have been married for over 25 years and reside in Templeton. They have two children, Chloe and Jedidiah.