• Marquette's politically-active anxiously await next Tuesday's presidential primary
• Students for Obama and Students for Ron Paul target college students, a group less likely to vote
• Other political student organizations include College Republicans and College Democrats

Marquette's politically active students and organizations are anxiously awaiting Tuesday's Wisconsin primary.

With a historically close race for the Democratic nomination, there is much talk about the "young vote" as nominees race across the country in a flurry of rallies on college campuses.

Both the College Democrats and College Republicans have worked consistently throughout the school year to encourage student voting and have suggested candidates that represent their respective goals.

Kirsten Jones, who acted as vice-chair for the College Democrats last semester, said the College Democrats always sponsor a "Get Out the Vote" initiative before elections.

"We do everything from handing out fliers, to knocking on doors, to working the phone banks," said Jones, a College of Arts & Sciences sophomore.

John Connors, a College of Business Administration senior and chair of College Republicans, said his organization has also been extremely busy in the past week, meeting with a variety of student organizations and hall councils.

Connors, who got his first taste of political campaigning during the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign in 2004, said groups such as College Democrats and College Republicans are important because they allow students to be involved beyond the level of an average American.

"Really, once you do this sort of thing, you'll have that civic involvement for the rest of your life," Connors said.

John Ebben, a College of Arts & Sciences sophomore currently studying at the Aspin Center, is one student beginning what he hopes will be a lifetime of involvement in politics.

"It's been pretty exciting," Ebben said. "It's definitely a good time of the year to be around (Washington, D.C.)."

Ebben, a former member of College Democrats, also said having politically active student groups is important in informing people and encouraging them to vote.

"However, it's always important to keep an open mind towards candidates and not let it be closed off by a particular group," he said.

But for those students who know in where their vote will be going, Marquette also has organizations that rallied around particular candidates.

Ellen Renfroe, a College of Arts & Sciences sophomore, serves as the Straz Tower captain of Students for Obama.

Students for Obama traveled to Iowa before the state's caucus and went door-to-door encouraging residents to vote for Obama, Renfroe said. The y also had a table set up in the Alumni Memorial Union this week to encourage students to vote in the primary.

Students for Ron Paul has about 15 to 20 active members, according to chair Andrew Marshall.

Marshall, a College of Arts & Sciences sophomore, said his organization serves a dual purpose of promoting political activism and providing education on Ron Paul.

"College students need to know what they stand for," Marshall said. "I think a big part of our message is that you don't have to necessarily settle for the 'established' candidate."

Most leaders of political organizations said their main goal is simply to encourage students to vote, regardless of what candidate they support.

Wisconsin's primary is Tuesday. Same-day registration is available for those wishing to register at the polls.