September 14, 2017
Women’s City Club
The dismal rate of voter turnout in non-presidential elections is a major concern to the League. 84% of eligible voters in LA County are registered, compared to 75% in California. LA County voter turnout was 67% in the 2016 presidential election, but was only 14% for the June 2017 special congressional election (Becerra). We can get voters registered, but what new strategies can promote active participation in elections?
To kick off our 2017–2018 program year, we’ll hear from one of our favorite speakers, Dr. Raphael J. Sonenshein. We have asked him to speak about voting trends and causes of low voter turnout, as well as possibilities for improving voter turnout rates.
Dr. Sonenshein is the Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at CSU Los Angeles. He received his B.A. from Princeton, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Yale. In addition to his award-winning academic work, Dr. Sonenshein has chaired Los Angeles City government Commissions, and received numerous honors for excellence in teaching.
At the September League Day, we will also hear about committee activities, Constitution Day presentations, and National Voter Registration Day. It will be a great start for our year, and you’ll want to be there!
