As voters prepare for the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Rice University faculty can help reporters examine Texas races, voting behavior, election procedures and how political information reaches voters. Their expertise also spans artificial intelligence and the ways people encounter and respond to misinformation.
Texas races and voters
Mark Jones, professor of political science and fellow at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
Jones can discuss the federal, state and local elections in Texas, campaign finance and the political attitudes and voting behavior of Texas Hispanic voters.
Elections and political behavior
John Alford, professor of political science
Alford studies U.S. elections and voting behavior with an emphasis on Congress. He can address how voters make political choices and the factors that shape those choices.
Political news and voters
Erik Peterson, associate professor of political science
Peterson studies how local media and online news shape political behavior and electoral accountability.
AI and misinformation
Alyssa “Allie” Sinclair, assistant professor of psychological sciences
Sinclair studies how people update their beliefs and how misinformation online can be corrected or counteracted. She can discuss why misleading claims may persist and how people respond to corrections.
Liam Mayes, assistant teaching professor and director of undergraduate studies in media studies
Mayes can discuss how voters encounter and evaluate misinformation across digital platforms during election cycles. His expertise includes critical media literacy, social media discourse and political messaging from traditional news to platforms like TikTok.
Voting and polling places
Michael Byrne, the Elma Schneider Professor of Psychological Sciences
Byrne can discuss ballot design, how voters use voting equipment and factors that affect operations at polling places.
To schedule an interview with Rice’s experts, contact media relations specialists Kat Cosley Trigg at kat.cosley.trigg@rice.edu or Jamie Groh at jamie.groh@rice.edu.
You can find all of Rice’s expert alerts online.