Why Should I Vote?

A family-friendly, non-partisan voter education expo hosted by AAUW State College and the League of Women Voters of Centre County.

Event Details

Sunday, September 13, 2026
2:00 – 5:00 pm

The Nittany Mall
Active Adult Center and Mall Commons
2901 E College Ave, State College, PA 16801
Get directions

Free and open to the public. All ages welcome. No registration needed – drop in any time.

Planning to come? You can RSVP online. It is optional, and only helps us gauge how many people to expect.

Why Should I Vote? Sunday, September 13, 2 to 5pm. Tabling, speakers, trivia and prizes, at the Nittany Mall.

What to Expect

  • Four sessions with county officials, journalists, and elections staff – see the speakers below
  • Visit tables from community organizations across the Centre Region
  • Trivia, an event passport, and prizes for participants of all ages
  • Light refreshments
  • Come and go as you like – there is no registration and no set start time

Prizes

Trivia and event passport prizes include:

  • Three 3-by-5-foot American flags
  • Three annotated hardback copies of the U.S. Constitution
  • An America 250 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle
  • America 250 mugs

Speakers (Tentative)

Times and speakers are subject to change. Candace Dannaker, former Mayor of Bellefonte, will serve as MC, and Jennifer Nicholas of the League of Women Voters of Centre County will moderate the panel. Speakers and panel presentations will be covered by C-NET.

2:30 – 2:55 pm

Where Do Your Taxes Go?

Who decides what to spend where, and what do you get for your tax dollars?

Jason Moser, Centre County Controller

3:00 – 3:40 pm · Panel

Finding Good Political and Candidate Information

What about AI? Media source bias, and how to recognize misinformation and disinformation.

  • Jessica McAllister, Editor, Centre Daily Times – the effects of AI on local and political news
  • Sarah Rafacz, Spotlight PA – maintaining unbiased news
  • Cory Barker, News Literacy Initiative at Penn State – misinformation, disinformation, and trusted media sources

3:45 – 4:10 pm

Who Decided to Build That Mega Data Center, High-Rise, or Hotel There?

The planning process in Centre County.

Ray Stolinas, Centre County Community Development and Planning Commission

4:15 – 4:55 pm

How Voting Works in Centre County

Follow your ballot from registration to tabulation to certification.

Staff of the Centre County Office of Elections

Participating Organizations

Community Organizations

These organizations will have tables at the expo:

Elected Officials and Candidates

All candidates on the November 2026 ballot have been invited. Some will attend in person; others will send a representative from their office or campaign. Confirmed so far:

  • Ray Bilger, candidate, U.S. House of Representatives, 15th Congressional District
  • Scott Conklin, PA House of Representatives, 77th District, candidate for re-election
  • Kirsten McTernan, candidate, PA House of Representatives, 82nd District
  • Paul Takac, PA House of Representatives, 82nd District, candidate for re-election
  • John Zangari, candidate, PA House of Representatives, 171st District

More organizations are still being confirmed. Check back closer to the event for the final list of tables.

Have questions, or want to get involved? Email info@aauwstatecollege.org.

About the Hosts

This event is hosted by AAUW State College and the League of Women Voters of Centre County. AAUW is a non-partisan organization: we advocate for policies that advance equity regardless of party, and we believe expanding voting access is essential to equitable political participation.

Looking for voter registration tools, polling place lookup, or election reminders? Visit our Non-Partisan Resources page. You can also read more about our advocacy work.

Last updated 9/11/26