In anticipation of the presidential election, University of New Mexico Communications relaunched a website that features election experts who can help people find answers to their political questions.
The website, called UNM Election Experts, showcases experts from UNM departments including economics, psychiatry, law, communications and political science.
Beginning in 2012, the program has been launched every four years in accordance with the presidential election cycle, according to UNM political science professor Michael Rocca, who is an election expert specializing in policy and campaign financing. The website is meant to help streamline the process of finding experts for those looking to learn more about a given topic, he said.
As an expert, Rocca said he helps constituents and citizens understand how money influences campaigning and voter behavior.
Other experts include Jessica Feezell, an expert in public opinion in politics; Kristina Sowar, an expert in psychiatry; and Gabriel Sanchez, an expert in social policy.
The website lists issues including the economy, climate, immigration and more, and provides a corresponding expert in the field. As of Sunday, Sept. 29, there is no assigned expert for the issue “unprecedented events.”
“It’s a really important gateway for if the (media and the public) want to ask questions of an expert here on campus — they can go to that website and find us,” Rocca said.
The project's ultimate goal is to help people understand who to go to about particular questions and to simplify the learning process, he said. While a lot of Americans are disengaged from politics, they are not apathetic, Rocca said.
“It’s very easy for us to make them attentive and convince them to care. The question is: Do they have time to care? But they definitely have an inherent interest … even if they are frustrated by it,” Rocca said.
Rocca emphasized the importance of easy access to expertise, especially in an era with so much misinformation and disinformation.
“Disinformation can affect the legitimacy and credibility of our institutions,” Rocca said.
Misinformation is information that is incorrect or misleading, while disinformation is false information that is deliberately spread, according to Merriam-Webster.
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“Disinformation can find its way into policy. If you have a part of a (population) that believes that two plus two equals five, and their elected representatives believe that two plus two equals five, then ‘two plus two equals five’ makes its way into policy,” Rocca said.
An important part of combatting disinformation is with correct information and projects, such as the UNM Election Experts, he said.
As Rocca put it, “Expertise matters.”
Addison Fulton is the culture editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
