Community College of Rhode Island campus in Warwick. Photo Credit: CCRI

The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) will host its first Democracy Fair on October 2, 2024, in Warwick. The event, which is free and open to all, will feature representatives from local and national political parties, public advocacy groups, voting rights organizations, and election officials.

The Democracy Fair is being organized by CCRI’s Interim President, Dr. Rosemary A. Costigan, Ph.D. RN, as part of the college’s efforts to promote civic engagement and voting awareness among students, faculty, and staff.

“CCRI is deeply committed to fostering a strong democratic society by empowering our students and community members with the knowledge and tools they need to engage in civic life so they are well-informed and empowered to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” said CCRI Interim President Dr. Rosemary A. Costigan, Ph.D. RN.

Since 2020, CCRI has been working with the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge to increase nonpartisan student voter registration, education, and turnout. In 2022, CCRI was recognized by ALL IN for producing the highest registration rate and highest voting rate among students during the 2022 Midterm Elections.

The Democracy Fair is an opportunity for students to learn about voter registration, how to register to vote, and how to find their polling place. The event will also feature information on key political issues, bond measures, and voter registration. Representatives from various political parties, public advocacy groups, voting rights organizations, and election officials will be on site to provide information and answer questions.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...

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