Reports on the Nominating Process, National Conventions, and Voter Identification, from the Congressional Research Service

The Republican National Convention this July in Cleveland may or may not turn into a brawl, but those who wish to be well supplied with information - in order to have a good understanding as the events unfold - may wish to look at the following report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS):

"The Presidential Nominating Process and the National Party Conventions, 2016: Frequently Asked Questions." This report provides "answers to frequently asked questions about the Presidential nominating process, including how delegates to the national conventions are chosen, differences between a caucus and a primary, national party rules changes for 2016, and information on national conventions."

The Sawyer Library recently began a subscription to a collection of CRS Reports through the vendor ProQuest. This collection may be found by starting at the Sawyer Library home page (http://www.suffolk.edu/sawlib/) > Databases by Subject > Social Sciences > Political Science > Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports.

The Congressional Research Service produces reports specifically for use by Congress. They are known for being nonpartisan reports, which typically include analysis, pro/con viewpoints, and statistics.

In preparation for Professor Rachael Cobb's upcoming talk in the Poetry Center, "Voting Rights and the 2016 Presidential Election," attendees may wish to view the following two reports from CRS:

"Voter Identification Requirements: Background and Legal Issues" updated November 03, 2014 and updated November 10, 2014.

Speaker Series Event! Voting Rights and the 2016 Presidential Election

Speaker: Rachael Cobb

When: Wednesday, March 30th 2016; 1:00 pm

Where: 73 Tremont St, Sawyer Library Poetry Center

In 2006 only one U.S. state required identification to vote on Election Day. Today, 11 states require identification and 34 states have some version of voter identification rules. Other election reforms including early voting have expanded since the early 2000s. What impact will these reforms have on voter turnout in the 2016 presidential election?

Rachael Cobb is Associate Professor and Chair of the Government Department at Suffolk University. Her research focuses on U.S. elections, election administration, electoral politics, civic engagement, and political participation. At Suffolk University, Cobb runs the University Pollworkers Project, a nonpartisan program designed to recruit college students to serve as poll workers in partnership with the City of Boston’s Election Department

Join us for Voting Rights and the 2016 Presidential Election, Wednesday, March 30th 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Location: Poetry Center, 3rd floor, Sawyer Library