As Election Day draws closer, students will choose which candidate would best serve as U.S. president. Some groups on campus are hoping to better inform voters before they enter the voting booths. The three political student organizations registered at the University promote GOP and Democratic issues.Boasting 65 volunteers, Geaux Obama is the smallest of the three groups. Geaux Obama, headed by French graduate student Melanie Hackney, is a relatively new student organization promoting Sen. Barack Obama’s ticket. Ryan Orgera, geography doctoral student, said Obama has important strengths in the presidential campaign.”The economy is [Obama’s] strong suit,” Orgera said. “And he’s got a great national work program, much like [Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s] public works program.”Hackney said the Geaux Obama group noticed students like to hear more about the Democratic presidential candidate. She said the organization is a good “outlet” for students who want to discuss campaign issues.”People light up when they see people out there supporting Obama,” Hackney said. “I think Obama is the candidate that could reaffirm faith in government.”Two larger political organizations promote not only the presidential campaign but local issues as well.The College Republicans includes 1,100 members, and its president, Chuck Fontenot, political science senior, said the group is important for promoting GOP issues.”We are the Republican voice on campus, and conservative-minded students can discuss their ideas with us,” Fontenot said.The group is also taking part in John Kennedy’s U.S. Senate campaign and Bill Cassidy’s U.S. Congress campaign. Founder of LSU’s College Republicans Morton Blackwell is now the head of the Leadership Institute and actively participates in the Republican National Convention’s Rules Committee.Fontenot said the group has a table in Free Speech Alley, passes out campaign literature, makes calls and travels door-to-door to promote Republican campaigns. And when it comes to the presidential campaign, Fontenot said one democrat’s plan is a concern for many college students.”I would definitely say Obama’s tax plan [is an issue], because it targets the small business man,” Fontenot said. “The majority of students work for the small business man.”Students could likely feel the squeeze in the form of job cuts and losses, Fontenot said. Kevin Guillory, political science senior, heads the College Democrats — another college political organization on campus. He said the economy seems to be a big issue for students.”It’s going to be difficult for students to get jobs [out of college],” Guillory said. “Also, the War in Iraq is a big issue. A lot of people wonder why we’re still there.”Guillory said the group recently helped with finance senior Brett Jackson’s Metro Council campaign. Former College Democrats President Ryan Berni is the director of operations for the office of political consultant James Carville. College Democrats has about 900 members this semester. Guillory said the importance of college political organizations is to address issues facing college students.”I think the most important purpose [for college political organizations] is finding out about politics on campus,” Guillory said.President of the Young Democrats of Louisiana and sociology senior Ralph Johnson said political parties in general benefit from college political organizations. He said College Democrats is important in getting the vote out to students.”It’s a good organizer for college students,” Johnson said. “It helps them to remain involved.”Aaron Baer, communications director for the Louisiana Republican Party, said the College Republicans and other political groups on college campuses are important for addressing peers. He said College Republicans helps Louisiana Republicans do phone banking, visit door-to-door and pass out campaign literature. “They’re an already organized group of committed individuals that helps to educate the populace and get out the vote on Election Day,” Baer said.—-Contact Sean Griffin at [email protected]