The Midterms Approach: OLLI Tackles the Challenging Issues

As midterms elections approach, the League of Women Voters of Orange-Durham-Chatham and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Duke are co-sponsoring an Election 2018 Voter Education Series that will tackle questions about political redistricting, social media, election safeguards, polling and voters’ moral choices.

All of the free, public presentations will take place on Fridays from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. in the Commons Room of the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4907 Garrett Rd., in Durham.

“We want to generate interest in the 2018 elections, increase voter knowledge about the process and encourage people to get out and vote,” says Margaret Riley, president of the OLLI at Duke Board of Advisors who retired as director of Duke’s Global Education Office for Undergraduates.

Organizers said the series will be non-partisan and present balanced perspectives, as well as give time for discussion.

“To my knowledge this is the first time OLLI at Duke and the League of Women Voters of Orange-Durham-Chatham have collaborated on an event,” Riley said. “It has been a very positive process which I hope will lead to additional collaborations in the future. “

The series kicked off on Sept. 21 with a presentation on redistricting by Jennifer Bremer, director of the North Carolina League of Women Voters Fair Election Action Team. Here is what’s coming next:

Sept. 28: “Social Media and Journalism in the 2018 Election,” by Philip Napoli, professor at Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy

Oct. 5: “North Carolina Elections: Past and Present,” by Rob Christensen, senior politics reporter and columnist for The News and Observer

Oct. 12: “Safeguarding Elections/Insuring Election Integrity,” by Veronica Degraffenreid, director of election operations, North Carolina State Board of Elections

Oct. 19: “Polling,” by David McLennan, professor of political science and director of the Meredith Poll, Meredith University

Oct. 26: “Lying: Moral Choice in American Public Life,” by Stephen Fleck, emeritus professor of French, California State University, Long Beach.

No registration is required. You may attend any of the presentations.

Those interested should also check out the League’s non-partisan voter education website to learn about candidate positions on various issues: VOTE411.org.