Oct. 29, 2004

24-HOUR ELECTION EXPERTS AVAILABLE FOR THE NOV. 2 COUNTDOWN

Stay with our election experts from the moment the polls close until a winner is declared -- or contested. The following experts from Southern Methodist University will stay up late, tracking local and national races. Some will even be at various local campaign headquarters observing and giving commentary. On Nov. 2, these experts will be available 24 hours to discuss any new developments.

Political Spin, Concession and Victory Speeches

Rita Kirk -- A specialist in political communications, Kirk is the author of Soundbite Culture: The Death of Discourse in a Wired World and Communication Strategies in State and Local Elections. Throughout the 2004 campaign, Kirk has given almost daily interviews to national media, including the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune and the Boston Globe, among others.
Call 214-768-7650, after hours, 972-233-6044.

Voting Behavior, Ballot Security, Electoral College

Matthew Wilson -- A regular political analyst for the local TV station NBC-5, Wilson has given several interviews this campaign season, sharing his expertise on the Catholic vote, voting behavior and the make-up of the battleground states. Wilson's comments have appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek and the Philadelphia Daily News, among others.
Call 214-768-7650, after hours, 972-233-6044.

Marco Marchetti and Suku Nair -- These computer science experts direct SMU's HACNET Lab, which stands for High Assurance Computing and Networking. One-third of American voters will cast their votes on electronic machines. Marchetti and Nair can talk about the potential pitfalls of e-voting, including corrupted data transfers, paperless copies in the event of a recount and no way to ensure one person doesn’t vote twice.
Call 214-768-7650, after hours, 972-233-6044.

Ruth Morgan -- Morgan is the expert to turn to should the election go into overdrive. She can explain the state and federal role in elections. Media-savvy as well as politically astute, Morgan is an SMU professor emerita of political science and the author of Governance by Decree: The Impact of the Voting Rights Act in Dallas and Civil Rights: Policy-Making by Executive Order.
Call 214-768-7650, after hours, 972-233-6044.

Exit Polling, Congressional Races

Dennis Simon -- A race this close has many people wondering which polls matter. Call SMU Political Science Professor Dennis Simon to discuss polling, including exit polling, and the Martin Frost/Pete Sessions race for Congress. In recent weeks, Simon has given interviews on the political race to Fox News, The Dallas Morning News and the Associated Press, among others. Call 214-768-7650, after hours, 972-233-6044.

Media Coverage

Tony Pederson -- As the former executive editor of the Houston Chronicle, Pederson has directed the coverage of hundreds of political races. Today he’s the chair of SMU’s Division of Journalism. Pederson can comment on the 24/7 impact of modern campaign coverage.
Call 214-768-7650, after hours, 972-233-6044.

Voting Rights, Political Statistics, Past Presidential Elections

Harold Stanley -- Stanley focuses on gathering the numbers that count in American politics, including statistical information on elections, the presidency and partisan compositions at the congressional and state levels. He is the co-author of Vital Statistics on Americsan Politics, 2003-2004 (Congressional Quarterly, now in its 9th edition). At SMU, Stanley holds the Geurin-Pettus Distinguished Chair in American Politics and Political Economy.
Call 214-768-7650, after hours, 972-233-6044.

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