Springfield College To Hold Presentation By National Voting Rights Leader

Springfield, MA (02/01/2024) — Springfield College will host an engaging presentation by national voting rights leader Miles Rapoport on Monday, February 26 at 7:00 pm in the Harold C. Smith Presentation Room, Stitzer Welcome Center at Judd Gymnasia.

Rapoport co-authored 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting (2022) with Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne.

100% Democracy is an initiative to redefine voting as both a fundamental right and a required civic responsibility. The goal to place universal voting into the public debate and have universal voting policies adopted by states and municipalities.

Mr. Rapoport will lead a discussion focused on the social justice of voting rights as he details the 100% Voting initiative and action steps to support it. Additionally, he will describe the benefits of having an electorate that reflects the population, including increasing voter participation, decreasing extreme-partisanship, and expanding the influence of historically underrepresented communities.

This event will include a question-and-answer session and is open to the public.

Mr. Rapoport was the inaugural Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy at Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. He was President of national voting advocacy organizations Common Cause (2014-2016) and Demos (2001-2014). Previously he was elected Connecticut Secretary of the State (1994-1998), and he served in the Connecticut General Assembly (1984-1994). He is currently the Executive Director of 100% Democracy: An Initiative for Universal Voting.

Questions surrounding the event can be directed to Dr. Andrew Schoolnik at aschoolnik@springfield.edu.

Springfield College is an independent, nonprofit, coeducational institution founded in 1885. Approximately 3,500 students, including 2,050 full-time undergraduate students, study at its main campus in Springfield, Mass. Springfield College inspires students through the guiding principles of its Humanics philosophy - educating in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.