With local political issues currently kindling discussion on campus, some student groups are urging undergraduates to voice their opinions by voting in the upcoming Princeton Borough Council election.
One salient issue is a possible alcohol ordinance that could change the tone of social life on campus. At its next meeting Oct. 13, the Borough Council's public safety committee will discuss a recently passed state law allowing towns to adopt ordinances that would give police the power to cite underage drinkers on private property. And with Tuesday's voter registration deadline approaching, some campus groups are pushing for a big student turnout at the polls.
Though USG president PJ Kim '01 said the USG is not allowed to lobby actively on a specific issue — such as the possible alcohol ordinance — he said the USG, campus political groups and VoteNJ are going "door-to-door" to register students to vote.
Kim added that he plans to send a campus-wide e-mail encouraging students to attend Borough Council meetings.
As of Monday, there were 5,757 registered voters in Princeton Borough — 1,100 of which are University students — according to a representative in the Mercer County Superintendent of Elections Office.
Only 1,693 people — less than 15 percent of the Borough's population, including the University — voted in last year's Borough Council election, however.
Two Council seats are up for grabs in this election. Incumbent Council members Wendy Benchley and Margaret Karcher, both Democrats, are running against Republican Rodney Fisk and Independent candidate Dorothy Koehn.
Inter-Club Council president Dan Winn '01 said students could make an impact in an election in which so few registered voters actually cast ballots, and that it is important for students to voice their opinions.
"We are concerned about the ordinance because it's targeted at students," Winn said. "The town is targeting one of its constituencies with legislation."
To vote in the Borough Council election, students must switch their voter registrations from their hometowns to the Borough. As it stands, however, most students register in their hometowns and request absentee ballots, according to the county elections representative.
He said 50 students have registered to vote in the past five days, making up about half the total number of voters who registered during that time. The representative said that jump was "big for one week."
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