Event will focus on how the 2016 presidential election is transforming voter engagement and electoral politics

CLEVELAND (Tuesday May 9, 2016) – The 2016 presidential election has already been one of the most controversial and transformative elections in American history, bringing new ideas, groups and individuals into the political discussion while also changing the ways candidates interact and communicate with voters. How will this ongoing transformation affect democracy moving forward and impact the leaders and government we ultimately get?

This question will be the focus of a Salon discussion hosted by TEDxClevelandStateUniversity, featuring a panel of former elected officials, political activists and experts who will assess the current campaign environment and what it will mean for America’s future. It will also include audience Q&A and the opportunity to interact with the speakers following formal presentations. The event will be held Wednesday, July 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the CSU Student Center Ballroom. It is free and open to the public and lunch will be served. Seating is limited to 150 people and registration is required. For more information and to sign up for the event visit, http://tedxclevelandstateuniversity.com/tedxsalon.

“With the Republican National Convention being held in Cleveland, we have a perfect opportunity to see first-hand how the old rules governing presidential elections no longer apply,” says Colette Hart, co-director of TEDxClevelandStateUniversity. “This has tremendous implications for voter engagement, voter efficacy and ultimately public policy. This Salon seeks to assess how the transformations we have witnessed in 2016 will change government and society as a whole.”

Participants for the event include Lee Fisher, President of CEOs for Cities and former Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, Lee Weingart, Founder and President of the LNE Group and former Cuyahoga County Commissioner, Sharon Broussard, Chief Editorial Writer for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer and Richard Perloff, Professor of Communication and Political Science at CSU and author of The Dynamics of Political Communication: Media and Politics in a Digital Age. The panel will be facilitated by Edward Horowitz, Associate Professor of Communication at CSU and an expert in political communication and socialization.

TEDxClevelandStateUniversity

A TED branded organization, TEDxClevelandStateUniversity brings together community leaders, innovators and activists from throughout Northeast Ohio to engage in proactive discussions on how we can work together to make society better. It hosts an annual conference and smaller Salon events which seek to spark community discussion on specific topics of community interest.

TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California almost 30 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes on a diverse mix of topics. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

About Cleveland State University

Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is a public research institution that provides a dynamic setting for Engaged Learning. With 17,000-plus students, nine colleges and more than 175 academic programs, CSU was again chosen for 2016 as one of America’s best universities by U.S. News & World Report. Find more information at www.csuohio.edu.

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