Harvard Dems Storm the Yard

The Harvard College Democrats “stormed” the first-year dorms, but the class of 2008 didn’t seem to mind.

With the help of eager first-years who had already expressed interest in the John Kerry campaign, the College Dems went door-to-door throughout the Yard and signed up 150 new members Wednesday. The “dorm storm” was designed to encourage students to participate in the group’s numerous activities planned during this election year.

“The best thing we can do is to get people involved with the campaign early,” College Dems member Elizabeth A. Goldschmidt ’06 said. “We’re trying to make it as easy for them as possible.”

Each dorm was visited by one of its residents who had already signed up and by an upperclass College Dem.

Goldschmidt said the upcoming election has made it an easy year for the group to recruit new members.

Before the school year began, some members of the class of 2008 had already become “friends” with the College Dems on Thefacebook.com, and even more signed up in the past week.

According to Sam M. Simon ’06, the communications director of the College Dems, the group has successfully enlisted one-third of all first-years through the Freshman Activities Fair and the dorm storm.

Twenty-three of the dorm storm’s 42 volunteers were first-years. “Way more than we expected,” Simon, who is also a Crimson editor, wrote in an e-mail.

Alex I. Burns ’08 said he decided to join the College Dems when he decided to attend Harvard. He said he thought the group was well-run and that the dorm storm was an effective way to get more students involved.

Ann Mary E. Olson ’08, who lives in Grays Hall, said she generally received positive feedback from the students she spoke to. “A lot of people sounded interested in what we’re doing,” she said.

Olson did knock on the doors of a few people who weren’t likely to become College Dems, but she said they all responded politely. “They were just like, ‘Sorry I’m Republican, not interested,’” Olson said.

Jenny R. Blank ’08, a Kerry supporter who was visited in Apley Court by the dorm stormers, said she does not plan to join the group but she likes the idea of the door-to-door recruitment. “I think it’s good,” she said. “I like the grassroots campaign and that they’re offering information to the students. Some people just need to be told.”

This semester, the College Dems have planned weekly outings to New Hampshire and to the John Kerry Boston office.

—Staff writer Monica M. Clark can be reached at mclark@fas.harvard.edu.