On Tuesday, April 10, at 6:30 p.m., the Unitarian Universalist Church of Canton, working in concert with the League of Women Voters and other participants from the Canton-Potsdam area, will address the question “Democracy at Risk?” at a forum on voting rights.
According to the 15th, 19th, 24th and 26th amendments to the U.S. Constitution, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged….” Yet many citizens of our democracy are denied this right, or encounter serious obstacles when they attempt to exercise it.
“Democracy at Risk?” speakers will explore current issues surrounding voting rights both in the U.S. and around the world. The discussion will cover efforts to restrict and complicate voting around the U.S., including some voter ID laws, and the ongoing gerrymandering of congressional districts. The forum will explore how other democracies have created electoral models that encourage rather than discourage voting. We will compare New York state election practices with those of other states and consider how voting can be more accessible in New York. Finally, we will look at local voting issues that affect those who live and work in the North Country, including the challenges facing college students and hourly/shift workers. Information will be provided to support community involvement in local and regional efforts to encourage voter participation, including up-to-date information on best practices and practical guides for increasing voter registration and voter turn-out.
Forum presenters will include: Alan Draper, Professor of Government at St. Lawrence University; Christina Xydias, Associate Professor of Political Science at Clarkson University; Klaus Proemm, Trustee on the Canton Village Board; Kathleen Stein, President of the League of Women Voters of St. Lawrence County; and Wendi Haugh, Faculty Champion of the Vote Everywhere project of the Andrew Goodman Foundation at St. Lawrence University.
This non-partisan voting rights forum is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Canton, the League of Women Voters of St. Lawrence County, the American Association of University Women, and the St. Lawrence University chapter of the Vote Everywhere project of the Andrew Goodman Foundation.
Everyone is welcome; light refreshments will be served.
North Country Public Radio is media sponsor for this forum on voting rights