Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Matthew Kolasa Voter registration forms, given out by supporters of Barack Obama, before Pennsylvania's April 22 primary. [Click to enlarge]

Dealing with harassment comes naturally to Penn students. Everyday, Locust Walk is a minefield of students peddling their different clubs and activities.

But leading up to today's voter-registration deadline, efforts to encourage students to register has become a noticeably intense addition.

As the April 22 Pennsylvania primary nears, presidential candidates Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) are using the opportunity to register new voters as a chance to re-introduce themselves to Pennsylvanians.

"Everything is based on voter registration," said College sophomore Lauren Burdette, Penn Democrats president.

Burdette noted that registration has become "a good chance to discuss" why to vote for a particular candidate.

Throughout campus, spring interns with the Obama campaign, Penn Dems and Penn for Hillary have been busy registering new voters. And political pundits agree that today's deadline could serve as an important sign of a candidate's initial power within the state.

According to Pennsylvania regulations, the primary is closed to unaffiliated voters - meaning that registered independents cannot vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries.

This presents a challenge for Obama, who has benefitted heavily from independent and Republican support in most primaries and caucuses this year. Thus, the initial Obama strategy is based on turning independents and Republicans into Democrats.

"Register as a Democrat to get your voice heard," Obama said in a conference call to Penn for Obama last Tuesday.

Matt Lehrich, an Obama spokesman in Pennsylvania, said the campaign relies on a "mix of volunteer groups" to "get people involved in the Democratic party."

Since having endorsed Obama earlier this month, the Penn Dems have worked with the Obama campaign to do just that.

While final numbers will not be available until later this week, Penn Dems report that "well over 1,500" new voters have been registered on Penn's campus.

To do this, Obama supporters have "registered voters in dining halls and dorms," Burdette said, though she recognized that students have been effectively "harassed" to vote by supporters.

Clinton's team has also been busy but has depended less on new voters, given Clinton's overwhelming support in the state, according to recent polls.

"A lot of students on campus have been working really hard [to register voters]," said College junior Julie Siegel, spokeswoman for Penn for Hillary and a former Spin editor.

"Now that students are registered, we're excited to move on to the next phase of the campaign - convincing Penn students that Senator Clinton has earned their vote," Siegel said.

Both campaigns say they have registered both Democrats and Republicans, and both Clinton and Obama supporters, to vote.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools