The League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island, and the North Fork will host several events between now and the Nov. 2 elections. First up, on Monday at 7 p.m. over Zoom, is "The Electoral College and the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact: What Every Voter Should Know."
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is an agreement among a group of states and Washington, D.C., to award all their electoral votes to whichever presidential candidate wins the overall popular vote in the 50 states and D.C. It is designed to ensure that the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide is elected president, and it would come into effect only when it would guarantee that outcome. Fifteen states totaling 195 of the needed 270 electoral votes have signed on, including New York.
With Cathy Kenny, an attorney and co-chairwoman of the League's government committee, a panel of law professors will explore how and why the Electoral College was formed and how it works, how the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is intended to work, the advantages and disadvantages of each process, and their recommendations.
Derek W. Black of the University of South Carolina, Rebecca Green of William and Mary in Virginia, and Bruce Ledewitz of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh will be the participating professors. The forum will be broadcast live and archived on SEA-TV's YouTube channel and Southampton's SEA-TV Channel 22.
The League will observe National Voter Registration Day, Sept. 28, with tables throughout the East End offering voter registration forms, absentee ballot applications, materials on the dates, times, and sites for early voting, and information on the five propositions that will be on the ballot.
Also on the League's agenda are three candidates debates to be held virtually in October. Oct. 21 is the tentative date for one between those running for East Hampton Town supervisor and, separately, candidates for town board. The other debates will feature candidates to represent the Second District in the Suffolk County Legislature and for Southampton Town Board; those dates are to be determined.
