The following UC Davis experts can address issues related to the June 5, 2012, California primary election – from the presidential race and the issues that affect it to congressional and legislative candidates and ballot measures.

Partisan politics and presidential elections

Political science professor Robert Huckfeldt can comment broadly on partisan politics. Huckfeldt is a scholar of public opinion, participation and voting in national elections. Contact: Robert Huckfeldt, Political Science, (530) 752-0975, rhuckfeldt@ucdavis.edu.

Congress and legislative elections

A.G. Block, associate director of the UC Center Sacramento and founding director of the center’s public affairs journalism program, can comment broadly on races to be decided in the primary election. Block reported on California politics and elections for many years as editor of California Journal magazine, and, more recently, as a columnist with Capitol Weekly. He is the co-editor and principal author of four editions of “The California Political Almanac,” as well as co-editor of six editions of the “California Politics and Government Annual.” Contact: A.G. Block, UC Center Sacramento, (916) 445-7300, agblock@ucdavis.edu.

Election law and initiatives

Law professor and election law expert Christopher Elmendorf can talk about term limits proposed in a voter initiative on the June 5 ballot.

Elmendorf is a principal investigator of an ongoing study of rank-choice voting in San Francisco. His recent writings have focused on the roles that advisory bodies can play in fostering governmental accountability; judicial formulation; and the administration of doctrines to implement the right to vote. His work has been published in the New York University Law Review, the Duke Law Journal, and the Election Law Journal, among others. Contact: Chris Elmendorf, School of Law, (530) 752-5756, (415) 385-5781 (cell), cselmendorf@ucdavis.edu.

The initiative process

Law professor Floyd Feeney can talk about issues releated to election law and initiatives. He is co-author of two books on initiatives, “Lawmaking by Initiative: Issues, Options and Comparisons” and “Improving the California Initiative Process: Options for Change.” In 2000-2001, he served as legal adviser to the Speaker’s Commission on the California Initiative Process. He also teaches election law. Contact: Floyd Feeney, School of Law, (530) 752-2893, fffeeney@ucdavis.edu.

Welfare, poverty, tax policy and the recession

Hilary Hoynes, professor of economics, can talk about poverty, inequality, and the impacts of government tax and transfer programs on low-income families. Current projects include evaluating the impact of the Great Recession across demographic groups, examining the impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit on infant health, and estimating impacts of U.S. food and nutrition programs on labor supply, health and human capital accumulation. She is part of a team of researchers awarded a $150,00 grant from the Russell Sage Foundation to study food insecurity during the recession. She is co-editor of American Economic Review. Contact: Hilary Hoynes, 530-752-0505, hwhoynes@ucdavis.edu. 

Unemployment and job loss, labor markets, poverty

Labor economist Ann Huff Stevens, chair of the Department of Economics and director of the UC Davis Center for Poverty Research, can talk about issues related to unemployment, labor markets and poverty. Her research focuses on measurement and dynamics of poverty, the effect of income shocks on individuals’ income and health, and the effects of job loss and unemployment on use of medical care, insurance status and health outcomes of workers and their families. Contact: Ann Stevens, (530) 752-3034, annstevens@ucdavis.edu.