Although Kagan has a political background with the Democrats, she says she has not done any political campaigning “whatsoever” for today’s election.

Her colleagues offered votes of confidence in her yesterday.

Story Professor of Law Daniel J. Meltzer ’72 said he had read of Kagan’s rumored appointment under a Kerry administration, and said he thought “she would be superb and sorely missed here.”

Loeb University Professor Laurence H. Tribe ’62 wrote in an e-mail yesterday that he had “no doubt that Elena Kagan would make a superb Supreme Court Justice and she would be easily confirmed.” But Tribe added that he hoped a decision would not come in haste.

“I hope both for Harvard’s sake and for the sake of the good health of whoever would have to leave the Court to create a vacancy that we have at least a breathing spell before President Kerry had to nominate someone to the Court,” said Tribe, who, like Kagan, specializes in constitutional law and who has been suggested for Supreme Court nomination.

—Staff writer Lauren A. E. Schuker can be reached at schuker@fas.harvard.edu.