EXPERTS ADVISORY

On Nov. 8, voters nationwide will head to the polls to cast their ballots for U.S. president and other political candidates and issues. University of Michigan experts are available to discuss related issues, including voting rights and electronic voting.

For a complete list of experts who can discuss specific issues, visit the Election Experts Guide.

Nicholas Valentino, professor of communication studies and political science and a research professor at the Center for Political Studies, is an expert on race and politics, and voting rights.

“Many states have introduced new voter identification laws over the last several years,” he said. “Though we have not witnessed many cases where legal voters were actively turned away from the polls because they lacked proper identification, there is always a chance that leaving your valid identification at home might cause headaches at the polling place.

“On the other hand, work by my student Fabian Neuner indicates that these attempts to restrict voting are sometimes perceived as a partisan strategy to reduce turnout in some poorer and non-white areas. These efforts are often met with anger, which then mobilizes voters even more than they otherwise would have been. It would not surprise us, therefore, if turnout is actually higher in many areas where new voter restrictions have been put in place.”

Contact: 734-647-4302, nvalenti@umich.edu

J. Alex Halderman, professor of computer science and engineering and director of the Center for Computer Security and Society, can discuss vulnerabilities in the U.S. voting system. An estimated 25 percent of voters, including those in Pennsylvania and Georgia, will be voting electronically without an auditable paper record of their vote.

“There’s a lot of work we have to do in this country to make sure that the critical infrastructure behind our voting technology is protected adequately,” Halderman said.

In addition to any threats from hackers, the lack of a paper trail in those states could be a problem if a candidate contested the results there, he said. Halderman has discussed voting security at length on C-SPAN. Watch the video

Contact: 734-647-1806, jhalderm@eecs.umich.edu

Michael Traugott, professor emeritus of communication studies and political science and a senior research scientist at the Center for Political Studies, is an authority on political communication, public opinion and media polling.

Contact: 734-763-4702, mtrau@umich.edu

Arthur Lupia, the Hal R. Varian Collegiate Professor of Political Science and research professor at the Center for Political Studies, examines how people make decisions when they lack information and in how they manage complex information flows.

Contact: 734-647-7549, lupia@umich.edu

Silvia Pedraza, is a professor of sociology and American culture. She is the author of “False Hope: Political Disaffection in Cuba’s Revolution in Exodus.” A native of Cuba, Pedraza has spent much time in Miami.

“The demographic composition of the Latino population in Florida has changed—and so has their vote. The major question now is whether the registration of Latinos in Florida has increased enough to offset the likely Trump supporters that are there.”

Contact: 305-979-1059, spedraza@umich.edu

John García, professor emeritus, Institute for Social Research and Center for Political Studies at University of Michigan, can discuss the changing Latino vote.

“The continual population growth of Latinos is reflected with a higher Latino percentage of the electorate and better voter registration rates. The overwhelming Latino preference for Hilary Clinton (from 72-83%) and higher Trump’s unfavorability ​ (ranging from 78-88% ) served as the motivation to turn out in stronger numbers and cast their ballots for Hilary Clinton. Indications of high early voting by Latinos in such swing states as Nevada, Florida, New Mexico and more competitive races in Arizona and Georgia are signs of Latinos’ important to this election’s outcome. ”

Contact him on election night on his cell: 520 270-5538, johngarc@umich.edu