Keira Norton
Keira Norton recently participated in a national webinar examining the election process.
Specifically, the webinar addressed how changes to the primary election process may broaden voter participation and promote more representative outcomes.
Norton was a student participant in “Expanding Voter Voice: Does Primary Reform Promote Fairer Representation?” on Aug. 19. The virtual program was part of the Innovations in Democracy Webinar Series presented by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).
The webinar explored nonpartisan innovations in electoral design, including open primaries and ranked-choice voting, and considered how such reforms may broaden participation in the primary process, reduce political polarization and produce more representative candidate pools.
Norton joined faculty experts from Syracuse University and Radford University for the national discussion, bringing a student perspective to the conversation about electoral reform and democratic participation.
A senior at SUNY Fredonia, Norton is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science through the Department of Politics and International Affairs, with a minor in History. She is a 2023 graduate of Lake Shore Central Senior High School in Angola, NY.
Norton also serves as a student member of SUNY Fredonia’s American Democracy Project committee, where she contributes to campus efforts focused on civic learning, democratic engagement and student participation.
“Participating in this webinar gave me the opportunity to engage with ideas about democracy and electoral reform beyond the classroom and to contribute a student perspective to a national conversation,” Norton said. “It was especially meaningful to discuss how changes to our electoral systems can affect who participates, whose voices are heard and how people feel represented in the democratic process. We had an insightful discussion on how to get students interested and engaged. It is important for young people to be active and informed with the full democratic practice."
The webinar was part of AASCU’s Innovations in Democracy initiative, which brings together faculty and staff from AASCU institutions to build knowledge of emerging democratic innovations and apply that learning through student-centered projects. The webinar series provides opportunities for faculty, staff and students to examine approaches to strengthening democracy and consider how those approaches can be incorporated into teaching, learning and campus engagement.
Dr. Angela McGowan-Kirsch, who is an associate professor of Communication and chair of the American Democracy Project at SUNY Fredonia, said Norton’s participation demonstrated the importance of creating opportunities for students to take part in conversations about democracy beyond the campus.
“Keira brought an important student voice to a national conversation about how our democratic systems can better encourage participation and representation,” McGowan-Kirsch said. “Experiences like this give students an opportunity not only to learn about civic and democratic issues, but to see themselves as active participants in shaping those conversations. We are proud to have Keira represent SUNY Fredonia and the American Democracy Project in this national forum.”
The Innovations in Democracy Webinar Series is designed for faculty, staff and students at AASCU institutions and examines nonpartisan approaches to strengthening democratic participation, public trust and representation. The series includes discussions of primary election systems, citizen deliberation and participatory technologies, and their potential applications for teaching, civic learning and campus engagement. To learn more, visit https://aascu.org/innovations-in-democracy/.
