MCLA to Host 2024 Constitution and Citizenship Day with Electoral College Lecture

NORTH ADAMS — MCLA will host the annual Constitution and Citizenship Day with a presentation for students and community members on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 4 p.m. in Murdock Hall, Room 218. The federal holiday was established in 2004 and first celebrated in 2005, recognizing the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787 in Philadelphia.

The presentation, “Understanding the Electoral College: Insights into 2024’s Presidential Election,” will be led by MCLA Associate Professor of Political Science Samantha Pettey. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Pettey will explore the historical origins and current controversies of the Electoral College, including the disparity between the popular vote and electoral outcomes and the influence of swing states. It will also cover best practices for interpreting polling data to help students and attendees critically analyze ‘hot-take’ headlines. A Q&A session addressing these topics and others will follow the presentation. This lecture is designed to empower students of democracy with the knowledge to understand and influence elections.

“Polling can be tricky to interpret responsibly, especially in the context of the Electoral College,” Pettey said. “The lecture will focus on some tips for reading and interpreting electoral news with polls and will allow time for questions about the broader election.”

Pettey has been interested in politics from a young age and has worked in the History and Political Science Department at MCLA since 2016. She teaches a range of courses on American government but is most passionate about teaching and researching Congress, state and local politics, and women in politics. Her current research focuses broadly on female candidates. She is particularly interested in the impact institutional features and demographic characteristics have on state-level candidate emergence and success.