Election Day

Election Day

First Tuesday after the first Monday in November

Join the National Constitution Center for election season as we explore the ins and outs of American elections from a constitutional angle. With our online resources, audiences can revisit the Constitutional Convention and the debates over the Electoral College, explore some of the most famous elections from history, and learn about historic figures who fought to expand voting rights.

Tools for Civil Discourse

Learning Materials
Each collection of Learning Materials on our Interactive Constitution: Classroom Edition contains video lessons and recordings of previous Scholar Exchanges, plus links to podcasts, blog posts, Interactive Constitution essays, and more. Great topics for election season include:

Video Lesson: The Executive Branch
This engaging, interactive lesson traces the history of the American presidency and features a special introduction by ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos—former adviser and communications director for President Bill Clinton. Join constitutional experts and the Center’s education staff to explore why it was important for our young nation to have an executive branch, and why some people were worried about giving it too much power. We’ll also take a trip to a very special location in America’s presidential history.

Podcast: Why Does the Electoral College Exist?
National Constitution Center President Jeffrey Rosen brought together Jesse Wegman, Amel Amed, and William Ewald to discuss the Electoral College. They detailed how the founders envisioned the Electoral College, how it’s evolved over time, and whether the system should remain or be reformed or replaced. Jesse Wegman is a member of The New York Times editorial board and the author of the book Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College. William Ewald is professor of philosophy and law at the University of Pennsylvania and an expert on James Wilson, one of the Founders involved in the earliest debates about how the president should be elected. Amel Ahmed is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She’s the author of numerous books and articles including “In Defense of the Electoral College.” 

Podcast: Election 2020 in the Courts
As the 2020 election quickly approaches, the Supreme Court recently issued two key rulings on state election laws—in Merill v. People First of Alabama, ruling 5-3 to prevent counties from offering curbside voting in Alabama, and in Pennsylvania Democratic Party v. Boockvar, upholding Pennsylvania’s extension of its mail-in ballot deadline by a 4-4 vote. This episode recaps those rulings, explores other key election-related cases before courts around the country, and explains the constitutional dimensions of legal battles over voting, including why and how a court decides when state laws rise to the level of disenfranchisement, or not. Emily Bazelon of The New York Times Magazine and co-host of Slate’s podcast “Political Gabfest,” and Bradley Smith, founder of the Institute for Free Speech at Capital University Law School who previously served on the Federal Election Commission, join host Jeffrey Rosen.

More Podcasts: 

Blog Posts:

Recent Town Hall Discussions:

 

More on the History of the Presidnecy, Elections, and Voting Rights in the U.S.:

Scholar Exchange: The Presidency With Jeffrey Rosen and Holly Frey
In this recent Fun Friday Scholar Exchange—our weekly online classes on the Constitution—Holly Frey, host of the award-winning podcast Stuff You Missed in History Class, joined Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen to explore the history and text on the presidency and the executive branch.

 

Scholar Exchange: Voting Rights Amendments with Jamelle Bouie
In this Fun Friday session, Jamelle Bouie—New York Times columnist and political analyst for CBS News covering campaigns, elections, national affairs, and culture—explores the history of the right to vote in America and answers audience questions. Where does the Constitution protect the right to vote? What role did the amendment process play in shaping voting rights? What has the Supreme Court said about the right to vote over time?

 

Exhibit Sneak Peek: The 19th Amendment
Get a behind the scenes look at our newest exhibit, The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote, as Exhibit Developer Elena Popchock discusses how, in November 1920, millions of women across the country voted under the 19th Amendment, but for millions of other women, the fight was not over. You can view more highlights from our exhibits on our YouTube channel.

Interactive Map: The Awakening
Featured in The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote, this interactive map lets users discover how women's suffrage at the state level paved the way for the 19th Amendment.

Town Hall Video: America’s Contentious Presidential Elections: A History
Don’t miss a timely conversation exploring key controversial and contested elections throughout American history—including 1800, 1860, 1876, and 2000—and what we can learn from them as we approach Election Day. Election scholars James Ceaser of the University of Virginia, Edward Foley of The Ohio State University and author of Ballot Battles: The History of Disputed Elections in the United States, Robert Lieberman of Johns Hopkins University and author of Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy, and Franita Tolson of the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, join moderator Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, to discuss.

Blog Posts:

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