First hour: Would voter turnout improve if elections were consolidated?
Second hour: Claire Stanford, author of "Happy for You"
Would voter turnout improve if elections were consolidated? As reported by WXXI Capitol Bureau Chief Karen DeWitt, a proposed bill in the New York State Legislature calls for shifting some local elections held in odd-numbered years to even-numbered years. Proponents say consolidating elections to even years when statewide and Presidential races are held would increase voter turnout and save money. Opponents say the move would make it more difficult for local candidates’ voices to be heard. This hour, our guests discuss the proposal and what it would mean for New Yorkers. Our guests:
- Perry Grossman, supervising attorney and director of the Voter Rights Project at the New York Civil Liberties Union
- Mark Assini, local business executive, former Gates Town Supervisor, and former candidate for U.S. Congress and Monroe County Executive
Then in our second hour, can happiness be measured? Should it be measured? If yes, how can it be done? In her novel, “Happy for You,” Claire Stanford tells the story of a young woman hired by a big tech company focused on revolutionizing happiness. The company’s work is focused on developing an app that will measure users’ levels of happiness and then recommend ways to boost their scores. Meanwhile, the main character questions her own happiness as she navigates major changes in her personal and professional life. The book raises though-provoking questions about our relationship to technology, about privacy, and about finding meaning. Stanford is the winner of the University of Rochester’s Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. She’ll give a reading at the university this evening, but first, she’s our guest on Connections. In studio:
- Claire Stanford, author of “Happy for You,” and assistant professor of creative writing in the Department of English at the University of Nevada, Reno
- Chad Post, publisher of Open Letter Press
- Rosa Terlazzo, associate professor of philosophy at the University of Rochester
