Dr. Jamila Michener, an Associate professor in the department of Government at Cornell University, discussed her research for a contribution to an upcoming edited collection of essays from the Cook Center on Social Equity. In particular, she addressed data she is collecting regarding COVID-19 and voting access in the 2020 election. The pandemic generated countervailing forces with regard to the ballot box, as some states expanded mail-in and absentee access through legislative, administrative and executive power, while some voters lost access due to sickness and, in some cases, death due to COVID-19. Dr. Michener talked with students about the complexities of gathering accurate social science research data across race, party affiliation, class, geography, and other demographic indicators, as well as the impact that polling errors had on public trust in election reporting.
