Haas Students, Cal Campus Gear Up for Election Day

Will President Barack Obama win a second term or will Mitt Romney take the presidency? Will Democrats take back the House or Republicans seize the Senate? Will California voters support Governor Brown's tax increase?

As pundits sound off on these burning questions, Haas students can take advantage of several opportunities between now and Nov. 6 to learn about the elections from UC Berkeley experts or join classmates in supporting candidates and propositions.

On election night, Haas students will be able to watch up-to-the-minute returns in the Bank of America Forum, where TVs will be tuned into CNN.  Political junkies also are invited to gather at the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) Matsui Center, 109 Moses Hall, to watch election-night returns.

Obama supporters, meanwhile, will be able to jump on a free shuttle from Cal to an election-night party and concert in San Francisco hosted by Hungry for Obama, a nationwide dinner-party chain launched by Haas student Brad Wolfe, MBA 13, to raise funds and support for President Obama.

Hungry for Obama volunteer-hosted dinners will continue in the Berkeley area until Election Day, and participation is open to all. “People have made really great food and are talking about why the election matters to them,” says Wolfe. For more information, visit HungryforObama.com.

On the other side of the aisle, the Berkeley College Republicans will be hosting an election-night viewing party in Berkeley for current and interested club members (details TBA). For more information, visit BerkeleyCollegeRepublicans.com. Before election night, the club will be walking precincts and phone banking for California Assembly candidate Peter Tateishi and U.S. Rep. Dan Lungren in Sacramento on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Cal Berkeley Democrats will be canvassing for President Obama in Reno from Oct. 26 to 28. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up early, as space as limited.

Both campus clubs will co-host a public viewing of the third and final presidential debate on Oct. 22 at the Institute of Governmental Studies' Matsui Center.

Other campus events related to the elections include :

  • Election 2012: What Do the Experts Expect?
    (Panel Discussion)
    Oct. 29, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
    Institute of Governmental Studies Library, 109 Moses Hall
  • Electoral Politics in an Era of Political Polarization
    Henry Brady, Dean, Goldman School of Public Policy
    Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
    International House, 2299 Piedmont Ave.
  • Election-Eve Update: Field Poll Director Mark DiCamillo
    Last-minute numbers on voter turnout, Governor Jerry Brown's tax initiative, and more
    Institute of Governmental Studies
    Nov. 5, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
    Institute of Governmental Studies Library, 109 Moses Hall
  • 2012 Presidential Election Recap (Panel)
    Ron Elving, NPR Washington Editor
    Michelle Quinn, Politico Technology Reporter
    David Kennedy, Stanford Pulitzer Prize-winning Historian
    Bruce Cain, Stanford Political Scientist
    Lisa Garcia Bedolla, UC Berkeley Political Science and Education Associate Professor and author of Mobilizing Inclusion
    Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    Sutardja Dai Hall

The Institute of Governmental Studies also has published an online election guide to the state's 11 ballot measures at californiachoices.org/ballot-measures-2012-11. And Berkeley faculty are weighing in on the elections regularly through the Berkeley Blog at blogs.berkeley.edu.

 

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