brown served five terms as a member of the st. joseph county board of commissioners and was elected board chairman three times. from 1981 to 1986, he was a member of the city of sturgis city commission. in 1998, he was elected to the michigan house of representatives from the 59th district and re-elected to a second term in 2000. brown was elected to the michigan senate from the 16th district in 2002 and 2006. the state's term limits prohibited him from seeking re-election in 2010.