Election experts available: Last day of campaigning, election day ...

Tomorrow is Election Day. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making their final pitches for president today in battleground states that could determine who wins the presidency. Polls show the race is tight and within the margin of error but that’s not the only race like that. House and Senate seats are on the line. And it could be Friday before we know who won these races, including the job of Commander in Chief.

Virginia Tech has a number of political experts who can offer insights pre and post-election:

• Karen Hult, professor of political science, is an expert on Virginia voting, early voting, prospects for state races in 2025, and presidential transitions.

• Cayce Myers, professor of public relations and director of graduate studies at the School of Communication, studies text messaging, political campaigns, celebrity endorsements, media strategy, social media, VA voting, VA congressional campaigns, and early voting.

• Farida Jalalzai, associate dean for global initiatives and engagement in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and professor of political science, can speak to stories about gender/race and women voters, or how gender affects voting in the presidential election for men and women.

• Chad Hankinson, lecturer of political science, can offer insights into presidential candidates and elections.

• Megan Duncan, associate professor in the School of Communication, can speak to the effects of election-related misinformation, especially on social media, how audiences understand the credibility and bias of election news, and how news media and journalists can cover election results in a pro-democracy way.

In addition to the experts above, we have experts willing to speak on the following topics related to the election.

FBI warns of election disinformation

The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have issued a warning about efforts by foreign actors trying to spread disinformation ahead of the Nov. 5 election. There are also concerns surrounding security at the polls. Justin Monday, an assistant professor of practice in Business Information Technology and retired U.S. Air Force cyber operations officer, is available to speak on the potential threats, what elections officials can do, and his research surrounding election cybersecurity. 

Why are higher-income individuals the most likely to vote?

Taking time to vote involves individual economic risks in terms of lost wages and productivity. Yet those with higher incomes, who arguably have more to lose, are consistently more likely to vote. Virginia Tech economics expert Jadrian Wooten can discuss the economic principles at play. Read more of his thoughts on the subject here.

Looking for election insights? Don’t overlook real estate values

With an election as unpredictable as any in recent memory, perhaps the “homevoter” phenomenon could offer some insight into what to expect. Sherwood Clements, professor of real estate, studied 30 years of data and found that counties with superior house price performance in the four years preceding an election are more likely to “vote-switch” to the incumbent party, while counties with inferior house price performance in the four years leading up to the election are more likely to switch its vote from the incumbent to the challenging party. More here.

Navigating conversations about the election and its results

Elections, especially ones involving the race for president, bring up a rage of emotions and differing opinions. Knowing how to navigate them, especially when it comes to friends and family with different views than your own is crucial. Todd Schenk, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, doesn’t believe that tough conversations should always be avoided – but that there is a time and a place for them and has suggestions for talking to others with differing viewpoints.