Sept. 16, 2021 —  Northern Kentucky University is hosting Kentucky Secretary of State Michael G. Adams on Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. in Griffin Hall’s Digitorium. Adams will discuss Kentucky's voting laws, including changes during the COVID-19 pandemic and possible changes in the coming years. He will also speak about improving voting access for college students.

Adams, elected in 2019, was instrumental in adapting Kentucky’s voting procedures during the pandemic. Changes under Adams’ tenure include the expansion of in-person early voting, the creation of an online absentee ballot portal and requiring machines to create a paper trail of votes cast.

“What Secretary Adams did, with the help of Gov. Andy Beshear and the legislature, to expand voting during COVID was impressive,” said Mark Neikirk, executive director of NKU's Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement. “Kentucky has been referenced numerous times by national media when it came to the expansion of voter access. It is a tremendous benefit to have Adams come here to speak about his efforts.”

Adams’ visit ties in with this year’s Common Experience theme of Democracy and Education. The theme promotes common, academic conversation and fosters engagement on campus around the idea that there is democratic power in local involvement.

The visit also coincides with Constitution Day, which recognizes the day the United States Constitution was signed in 1787. All publicly funded educational institutions provide programming on the Constitution’s history during this day.

This event is open to the public and will be live streamed to other Kentucky campuses. Seating is limited. As a reminder, facial coverings are required on NKU’s campus for all persons, regardless of vaccination status.

For more information on NKU’s Common Experience, visit its website.

For more information on NKU’s Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement, visit its website.

The Northern Kentucky Forum is a co-host for this event. For more information about the Forum, visit its website.

If you are eligible to vote in Kentucky but not registered, you can do so online.