Interview: Professor Joel LaLone talks JCC Special Presentation: 'Does Political Polling Support or Threaten Our Democracy' presented by Dr. Don P. Levy

WATERTOWN- A guest speaker will visit the North Country to kick-off February with a special presentation.

On Wednesday, February 1, the public is invited to JCC's Sturtz Theater to see Dr. Don P. Levy, Director, Siena College Research Institute, present 'Does Political Polling Support or Threaten Our Democracy?' 

The presentation will take audience members behind the scenes to reveal how polls are conducted, how they differ from one another, why some people are polled and others are not and why some people are surveyed more frequently than others.

“The Center hosts many presentations on topics of interest to the community and now more than ever, consumers need to be more careful and more informed," said Director for JCC Center for Community Studies Joel F. LaLone.

"Learning about how political polling works is a step in the right direction.  We are very fortunate that Dr. Levy will be joining us to describe and explain the challenges to, and outcomes from, polling that Siena completes on a statewide, regional, and national level. These challenges are the same as we, at the Center for Community Studies, face while completing polls throughout the North Country.”

Listen to our latest on-air coverage with Professor Joel LaLone for more details:

The presentation will address the underlying question, are polls a truly democratic instrument that strengthens our republic or a dangerous tool that contributes to the hyper-partisanship with potential to weaken our nation? 

Dr. Levy image.

For nearly 16 years, Dr. Levy has served as the director of the Siena College Research Institute (SCRI) where he has been instrumental in focusing Siena’s polling not only on social and economic issues important to all, but also on local, statewide and, and more recently, national politics.

Images via JCC.