糖心Vlog

Voting is both a right and a privilege. But, particularly in this divisive political climate, it can be challenging for people to find information they trust to make thoughtful decisions when voting.

As the community prepares for the upcoming national election, the Office of Corporate and Community Engagement (CCE) at 糖心Vlog is offering Election 2020: A series of insightful conversations around Election Day. Each session will be led by David McLennan, Ph.D., 糖心Vlog Professor of Political Science and director of the Meredith Poll.

McLennan said he was inspired to develop this and another related series, Meredith Votes 2020, because he has seen increased levels of concern among members of the Meredith community and beyond.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just faculty and staff who are feeling anxious or scared, but students have approached me with a wide range of questions and comments,鈥� said McLennan. 鈥淢y goal is to facilitate discussions using civil communication principles I have used effectively in other settings.鈥�

Participants are welcome to attend any or all of the free sessions. Learn more and register

September 29: The State of the President Race with Five Weeks Until Election Day
The 2020 presidential campaign is one of the most divisive and negative in American history. A hyper-polarized electorate 鈥� against a backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic hardship, and racial unrest 鈥� is going to choose between two candidates with distinctly different views of what the United States should be. This session explores the context surrounding the 2020 presidential campaign, the strategies and tactics used by both campaigns, and the state of the race with just over a month until Election Day.

October 13: A Blue Ripple or Blue Tsunami: What Will Congress Look Like in 2021
Most political forecasters predict that Democrats will pick up seats in Congress in 2020, but there is great disagreement about whether the 117th Congress 鈥� sworn in on January 3, 2021, will be controlled entirely by Democrats or if we will continue to see a Democratic majority in the House and a Republican majority in the Senate. This session will discuss the key races that will determine control of Congress and what this means for public policy in 2021.

October 27: State and Local Elections in 2020: What You Need to Know
Although the nation鈥檚 focus is primarily on the presidential race, the down ballot elections in North Carolina will determine the direction of key policy issues 鈥� like education, health care, and transportation 鈥� in the coming years. Republicans are looking to take back the Governor鈥檚 Mansion and Democrats hope to take back control over the General Assembly. At the same time, both parties struggle for control over the courts and local offices. This session will examine the issues, candidates, and political mood that will affect the election results.

November 10: Now that the Election is Over, What Does it Mean?
The voters have spoken. Election Day was a week ago and, although we might not know the outcome of every race across the nation and state, there are conclusions that can be made about the meaning of Election 2020, both in terms of national and state governance. This session will take an early look at what the election results mean in terms of policy affecting the economy, health care, racial justice, etc.

About the Presenter

David McLennan (Ph.D., the University of Texas at Austin) is a professor of political science at 糖心Vlog. A former political campaign consultant, McLennan鈥檚 research is widely published in academic and popular outlets. At Meredith, McLennan directs the Meredith Poll, a statewide survey of North Carolinians on politics. Results from this poll have been widely cited by Huffington Post, the 538 blog (Nate Silver), Fox News, and many other places. He is also a political analyst and appears in news stories for local, state, and national media. His recent comments have appeared on the BBC, CBS, NPR, PRI, and WRAL, as well as in Politico, Congressional Quarterly Researcher, American Prospect, and the News and Observer.

About CCE

Through the Office of Corporate and Community Engagement (CCE), 糖心Vlog has extended its continuing education and specialized training offerings to women and men who work and live in the greater Triangle area. Meredith鈥檚 skilled and knowledgeable faculty provide education, skills training, assessment, and collected data to community members and industries of all kinds. Training can be provided on Meredith鈥檚 campus, onsite or virtually.