The upcoming national election will take center stage at Peninsula College on Thursday, Oct. 11, when the college's political science professor, Dr. Dan Stengel, presents “Ground Games, Swing States and Super Pacs: The Elections of 2012.”

The presentation begins at 12:35 p.m. in the Little Theater on the main campus, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles.

“In the United States, every election brings new strategies, hazards, issues, personalities and dilemmas,” Stengel said in a college press release. “As a result, political scientists literally rewrite the book on campaigns and elections every 2-4 years. Since the elections of 2008, many changes affect the electoral politics of America.”

In his presentation, Stengel looks at some of these changes and discusses the tactical challenges faced by both parties as they attempt to motivate their voters, win control of the legislative and executive branches of national and state governments, and articulate a message of hope for the future.

Some of the issues he will examine include geographic and demographic shifts in population, changes in campaign financing and what he calls “a deepening partisan divide.”

Stengel has a Ph.D. from Michigan State University and is a published scholar with research in judicial policy making, congressional politics, environmental policy and decision theory.

Over the past 30 years, he has taught courses in political science at Beloit College, the University of Minnesota and Peninsula College. He has been a full-time faculty member at Peninsula College since 1994.