The Civics Lab
The Civics Lab at St. Edward's University (Austin, TX) is a student and faculty collaborative podcast on civics life in America. We interview guests and discuss issues around the intersection of politics, economics, society, public policy, religion and other important issues to the civics life in the United States and Texas. Dr. David Thomason, on the faculty at St. Ed's, is the director of the Kozmetsky Center of Excellence and project manager of the Civics Lab. Students at St. Ed's produce, research and comment on the podcast. The Civics Lab team is led by St. Edward's University students Jacob Zivin, George Reyes, Charlie Mossberger, Paige Kennedy, Tori Fleming and Janie Herring. The podcast is brought to you by the Kozmetsky Center. Some of the podcasts are also funded by a Civics Engagement grant from Pi Sigma Alpha.
The Civics Lab
America's Cost of Voting - Ep 5
This week, Dr. Scot Schraufnagel , Professor of Political Science at Northern Illiniois University, is in the Civics Lab and discusses his research on the cost of voting in the United States. Did you know that Texas is the most difficult state to vote in the United States? Where does your state rank? Did you know that high voter turnout benefits both Republicans and Democrats?
“Voting and elections are at the heart of our democracy, and voting should be easy,” says Schraufnagel. “One characteristic that helps define the competency of an electoral system and the legitimacy of governing institutions is the ease in which you can cast a ballot.”
Join us this week and react to the episode @TheCivicsLab on Instagram and Twitter.