ALL IN Challenge to host events to increase voter awareness

In celebration of “Constitution Day,” the Fredonia ALL IN Challenge will sponsor a presentation and discussion with Pulitzer Prize-nominated political reporter Bob McCarthy.

Bob McCarthy

The lecture is the first in a series of events scheduled during the Presidential election year and is slated for Tuesday, Sept. 20 in McEwen Hall Room G24 at 6 p.m.

Mr. McCarthy has covered every major presidential election and national convention for the past two decades as well as state and local politics. He joined The Buffalo News staff in 1982 after six years with the Olean Times Herald, and became the News’ main political reporter in 1992. Since then, he has covered national politics, including reporting from the major party conventions, plus state and local politics. He was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 2002 for a series of stories he co-wrote with Michael Beebe on how State Supreme Court candidates are chosen. McCarthy reported from both the 2016 Republican and Democratic national conventions.

Fredonia is a member of the “ALL IN Challenge” which is a national non-partisan initiative to educate students about civic engagement and to increase voter registration and participation. For more information, go to www.allinchallenge.org.

ALL IN campus activities on campus this semester will include debate watch parties, voter registration and providing rides to the polls on Election Day. The calendar of major events includes:

• Sept. 26 – Presidential debate televised at 9 p.m. in the Williams Center Multipurpose Room. Pre-debate activities begin at 8:30 p.m. with post-debate discussion until 11:00 p.m.

• Oct. 4 – Presidential debate televised at 9 p.m. in the Williams Center Multipurpose Room

• Oct. 5 – Lecture by presidential speechwriter Dr. Craig Smith (funded by the Provost office), 5 p.m., Williams Center Room S204

• Oct. 9 - Presidential debate televised at 9 p.m. in the Williams Center Multipurpose Room

• Oct. 19 – Presidential debate televised at 9 p.m. in Williams Center Room S204

• Oct. 27 – “Meet the Candidates” – local government debate hosted by the Chautauqua County League of Women Voters at 7 p.m., at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House and televised in Williams Center Room S204

• Nov. 8 – Election Day with transportation available to go to the polling places.