Partisan Groups Move Into High Gear

Students stumping for George Bush over the next two days will have at least one thing in common with their counterparts supporting Bill Clinton--last-minute campaign tactics.

Leaders of Harvard-Radcliffe for Clinton, Harvard-Radcliffe College Democrats and the Harvard Republican Club said they plan telephone campaigning, sign-waving at the polling sites and postering in the Yard before the campaign ends tomorrow night.

Emil G. Michael '94, president of the Republican group, said 20 to 25 of his group's members spent most of the weekend calling area voters to encourage them to support the GOP ticket.

"We've been working hard this weekend," Michael said.

David C. Bunker '93, president of the College Democrats, said that more than 30 members of his organization will continue to work on the campaign through tomorrow.

Bunker and Gregory S. Chernack '93, head of the Clinton group, said they sent Harvard delegations to local Democratic phone banks.

Come election day, Chernack said his group will turn its efforts to a high visibility at polling places.

While they must remain outside the legal distance from the actual polling place, students will wave signs to sway the undecided or uncertain voters with "a friendly face," Chernack said.

"They'll associate it not just with a candidate but a person they know or might know," said Chernack, who will be one of about 50 members of his group participating.

"I don't think it's anything that will turn around an election," Chernack added, "but it can make a difference."

While the political groups will focus the majority of their election day attention off-campus, Bunker said the College Democrats will hang flyers on doors in student dorms to encourage voter turnout.

"People aren't going to be persuaded to vote for Bill Clinton, but they might be reminded to," Bunker said.

"Hopefully, we've already done the work of persuading them."

Leaders of the Republicans and the Clinton group said they will poster the campus for their candidates.

Chernack said his posters would accentuate the differences between the two candidates on economic plans, abortion and race relations.

Michael said the Republican group may post a "fact sheet," describing "what it means" to cast a vote for Clinton.

The student politicos remained confident that their respective candidates would win, even as weekend polls showed the popular vote race narrowing to a virtual dead heat.

Chernack said he was cautiously optimistic about Clinton's slim lead.

"I am confident but not overconfident," Chernack said.

Michael was slightly bolder, predicting a popular plurality and an electoral majority for Bush tomorrow.

"Everyone's bracing for a victory party," Michael said.