Press Releases

November 2, 2000
The 2000 Election: Is This Any Way to Choose a President

Contact:
Suzanne Donovan
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

So Much Money, So Few Voters: Is This Any Way to Choose a President? Southampton College Professor of Public Policy Critiques the Presidential Election Process

Southampton, NY - One week after the November election, James Larocca, KeySpan Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at Southampton College of Long Island University, will offer his analysis of the process and the campaigns.

"By every measure, this will be a close election," said Larocca. "Yet this is the lowest level of (public) enthusiasm we've seen since 1976. In a year where we'll have a record low turnout and a record high amount of money spent, we need to take a critical look at the process."

His talk, "The 2000 Election: Is This Any Way to Choose a President?" is scheduled for Tuesday, November 14 at 9 p.m. in Duke Hall, Southampton College. It is free and open to the public.

Larocca brings extensive political and government experience to Southampton College. In 1998 he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor of New York. He has also served as State Commissioner of Transportation, Commissioner of Energy, and was a deputy secretary to Gov. Hugh Carey. He was president of the Long Island Association for eight years, working to bring together private businesses and non-profits to discuss regional environmental, education and economic issues. Last spring he left the law firm Cullen and Dykman and accepted the KeySpan Professorship at Long Island University.