Students to witness historic electoral college event : Delaware public school students to witness democratic process in action

CPC partnering to live-stream Delaware Electoral College vote

December 15, 2016 — Approximately 70 Delaware elementary, middle, and high students will gather at the Legislative Hall in Dover to witness the First State’s three Electoral College members cast their votes for Democrat Hillary Clinton on Monday, December 19, at 11:30 am. WHYY in cooperation with the state of Delaware will live-stream the proceedings at www.whyy.org/specialcoverage.php. Delaware Public Media will also carry the livestream on www.delawarepublic.org.

As members of the Electoral College from all 50 states cast their votes for the U.S. Presidency this Monday, WHYY’s Shirley Min, Nichelle Polston, and Mark Eichmann will speak with Ed Freel and Fran O’Malley of The Democracy Project about the historical significance of the meeting and the casting of votes. Former News Journal editor John Sweeney will provide historical perspective on the creation of the Electoral College. Delaware Deputy Secretary of State Rick Geisenberger and State Archivist Stephen Marz will preside over the voting ceremony.

The Democracy Project is working with Delaware public schools to create a one-of-a-kind education experience for elementary, middle and high school students from schools throughout the state, who will witness the event live from Legislative Hall, and more who will access the livestream in their classrooms. The program will be repurposed as an education tool for Delaware students studying the electoral college process.

Attending schools include Brandywine High School (Brandywine), Dover High School (Capital), Lake Forest High School (Lake Forest), Laurel High School (Laurel), Middletown High School (Appoquinimink), William Penn High School (Colonial), Conrad Schools of Science (Red Clay), Talley Middle School (Brandywine), Brandywine Springs School (Red Clay), and Leasure Elementary (Christina).

The program was made possible by WHYY in collaboration with the The Democracy Project at University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration, and with UD’s Center for Political Communication and the Delaware Department of State. The Democracy Project promotes civic engagement and a better understanding of citizen responsibilities in a democratic society among young people through a series of education-based services and programs. The Center for Political Communication is a nonpartisan research center which promotes research in politics, policy and new technologies in political communication and supports events designed to engage students, scholars, media, and the public. WHYY advances civic life through storytelling, arts, education and civic dialogue.