IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UI POLITICAL SCIENCE, JOHNSON COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, CITY OF IOWA CITY, AND UI HAWK THE VOTE

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In the final program of the fall series, Professor Barry Burden paints a picture of the U.S. election system and discusses ways to implement a hopeful vision for securing the integrity of its elections, building trust in the nationwide, decentralized elections system, and ensuring accessibility for all people eligible to vote. Sharing case studies and the work of scholars, pro-democracy civil society organizations, and political actors committed to a fair and robust electoral process, he explores the practical importance of increasing civic engagement, representation, and political accountability. Following Burden's presentation and his discussion with Professor Caroline Tolbert and Johnson County Auditor Julie Persons, attendees will see how a clear-eyed, actionable, and optimistic approach can lead to stronger political norms and greater voter confidence—and how it takes a large tent coalition from all political and ideological persuasions to realize such a system. 

Barry C. Burden is Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also Director of the Elections Research Center and is the Lyons Family Chair in Electoral Politics. His research and teaching are based in American politics, with an emphasis on electoral politics and representation. He is co-editor of The Measure of American Elections, author of Personal Roots of Representation, and co-author of Why Americans Split Their Tickets: Campaigns, Competition, and Divided Government. Burden has also published articles in the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, British Journal of Political Science, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Political Science Quarterly, and Electoral Studies. Burden is affiliated with the La Follette School of Public Affairs, the Center for Demography of Health and Aging, the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership, and the Election Administration Project.

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Caroline Tolbert is a Distinguished University Professor of Political Science at the University of Iowa, where she regularly teaches American government, campaigns and elections, public policy, and social media and politics. She was named a 2021 Andrew Carnegie Fellow for her research on voting and elections. She is a coauthor of The Problem with Primary Voters: Participation, Representation, and Consistency (2026, UPenn). She is also a coauthor of Accessible Elections: How the States Can Help Americans Vote and Choosing the Future: Technology and Opportunity in Communities, both with Oxford University Press. Other books on technology and politics include Digital Cities, Digital Citizenship, and Virtual Inequality: Beyond the Digital Divide, ranked one of 20 best-selling titles in the social sciences by the American Library Association. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and many nonprofits. She recently served as Vice President for the American Political Science Association. Her work is driven by an interest in strengthening American democracy, increasing political participation, and improving representation. Tolbert was named a Collegiate Scholar at the University of Iowa for outstanding research and teaching in 2009. The award is given annually to the top professor standing for promotion to full professor throughout the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.  She is the recipient of a 2024 Career Achievement Award from the State Politics section of APSA. She received her PhD from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Julie Persons is a graduate of the University of Iowa, where she double majored in Religious Studies and Dance. After college she worked in retail management for many years before ending up at Transamerica in Cedar Rapids. For over 10 years, she was in the retirement department specializing in pension plans. Due to an interesting turn of events, Julie was appointed as the mayor of Swisher in December 2023. This appointment made her the first female mayor of Swisher. With the unexpected vacancy of the County Auditor seat in 2024, Julie was recruited by the Johnson County Sheriff to run for office. She won the party nomination through a special convention and was on the 2024 ballot. As the Auditor, Julie is not only responsible for the elections department for the county, but she also oversees the county payables, real estate, and minutes departments. Outside of work, Julie has stayed involved with Swisher on their Parks and Recreation Board and volunteers as the Communications Advisor for Alpha Xi Delta sorority at the University of Iowa. In her free time, she enjoys going to concerts. 

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Futureproofing Democracy

Towards Hopeful and Achievable Elections in the US

Friday, October 23, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30PM​

UI Old Capitol - Senate Chambers

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Reception with Free Catered Food 5-6:00 P.M.

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PROGRAM WILL BE RECORDED; YOU CAN VIEW IT THE FOLLOWING WEEK :   >HERE<​​

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Hosted by ICFRC Executive Director Peter Gerlach