On September 24, 2024, Marlborough welcomed the first guest speaker of the year to All-School Meeting. Distinguished alumna, prominent legal expert, and professor at Loyola Law School Professor, Jessica Levinson ’98 joined the community to demystify the complexities of the American electoral system and discuss the voting process and timeline ahead of the upcoming 2024 Presidential Election.
Drawing from her extensive background in constitutional law and the political process, Professor Levinson ’98 delivered a comprehensive and engaging overview of the electoral college, voter participation, and the intricacies of election results. She outlined the historical context of the electoral college, describing it as a “compromise” created by the Framers of the Constitution to balance competing interests during the early days of the nation. She highlighted the system’s original intent as a “safeguard against potential demagogues,” illustrating how this design continues to influence modern elections.
Professor Levinson ’98 also discussed voter participation, presenting compelling statistics on demographic voting patterns. She underscored the significant impact that young voters could have on election outcomes, noting to the gathered students, “If you vote in the same percentage as the people over 65 years old, your age group can decide almost any election.” While only a small percentage of current Marlborough students will be eligible to vote in the upcoming presidential election, Professor Levinson ’98 encouraged active civic engagement, such as volunteering with non-partisan organizations dedicated to getting out the vote or phone banking for particular candidates. She told students, “There are plenty of ways to be active and to contribute your powerful time and energy.”
Throughout her talk, Professor Levinson ’98 maintained a non-partisan stance and focused on the mechanics of the electoral process and the importance of being informed citizens able to distinguish reliable information from fiction. To offer an example of this, she highlighted the growing prevalence of mail-in ballots and explained how this impacts the vote-counting process. The difference in counting processes means that initial results on election night could shift as mail-in ballots are subsequently counted, a shift that does not indicate fraud. Professor Levinson ’98 said, “What it means is that a lot of us don’t vote at polling places and it takes a while to count the votes. That’s a good thing—we want people to be carefully tallying up results and not rushing the process.”
The ASM concluded with a brief Q&A session, where students had the opportunity to engage directly with Professor Levinson ’98 on topics ranging from the impact of reproductive rights on voter turnout to opportunities for students to get involved in the electoral process. She closed with a powerful reminder: “It is not enough to vote every two to four years and declare, ‘I am an involved member of this society.’ You can do more now and you should absolutely do more in between elections.”
Hosting Professor Levinson ’98 as the keynote speaker for September’s All-School Meeting was one part of a comprehensive plan developed by Marlborough’s Senior Leadership Team and History Department to guide students in deepening their understanding of politics, civil discourse, and their role as informed citizens. As the 2024 Presidential Election approaches, this plan reflects the School’s commitment to preparing students to engage thoughtfully and responsibly with the democratic process so they have the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to become the changemakers of tomorrow.