Clinton’s first name misspelled on Hofstra’s souvenir debate tickets

The first presidential debate at Hofstra University went off mostly without a hitch Monday night with one exception: It spelled “Hilary” with one “L” on its souvenir tickets.

The university acknowledged the error on the tickets, distributed to 350 students who attended the debate.

“The tickets were not official tickets to the debate,” Hofstra spokeswoman Karla Schuster said in a statement. “They were printed at the last-minute to create a souvenir for the students. We’ll be reprinting them for all those who won tickets.”

The official presidential debate ticket used for access to the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex did not list the name of either candidate. The commemorative souvenir tickets listed the names of the two — “Hilary Clinton” first, followed by “Donald Trump.”

Students tickets were issued to 350 winners selected in a lottery from a pool of more than 7,500 entrants, and Schuster said the school then printed souvenir tickets as a keepsake for those student winners.

Hofstra was the focus of national attention after having only nine weeks to prepare for the debate, after learning in July that Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, had withdrawn as host.

With Candice Ferrette

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”