With the state primary election a little over a month away on April 3, student political organizations are hosting events aimed at getting students more involved in the political process.

"Our first and foremost issue is to motivate and assist in getting our student body involved and educated in our local, state and national politics," said Ana Martinez, senior political science major and president of the University Democrats.  

Martinez said the University Democrats have been working to establish an organization that will stay active not just during the election season but for years to come. They started off February with a voter registration drive in the Union Breezeway, and will continue with the drive every morning until March 5, the last day voters can register.

"During the month of March and up until the primary elections on April 3rd, we will be hosting forums and panels for various candidates running for office," Martinez said.

They plan to work with MECHA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan) to screen the documentary "Precious Knowledge," which explores the current controversy with Mexican American studies in Arizona, sometime in late February.

Working on the opposite end of the spectrum, the UTEP College Republicans have a series of events planned as well.

"We always have at least one item of campus activism planned per month and there should be at least two events in February," said Louis Southard, senior political science major and chairman of the College Republicans. "As far as flyers, forums and such, that won't come until after the Texas Primary just due to the fact that we can't support any one candidate. But one thing we will do next semester is try and have a meet and greet for all the Republican candidates at UTEP for students."

Southard also said the College Republicans plan to host a viewing party on Super Tuesday, March 6. This is a day when the majority of states hold their primary elections, and typically the results indicate which candidate will win their party's nomination. On March 26, the College Republicans plan to visit Austin for the state GOP convention, which will be held on the floor of the Texas state house of representatives.

Aside from the two-party Democrat-Republican clubs, a third student organization has formed in support of GOP candidate Ron Paul and his libertarian ideology.

"Youth for Ron Paul's main objective is to identify, recruit, educate and mobilize students and young activists to elect Ron Paul president of the United States," said Isabel Gonzalez, rehabilitation counseling graduate student and president of Youth for Ron Paul. "We expect to do that by delivering Ron Paul's message of liberty, sound money and diplomatic foreign affairs."

Youth for Ron Paul will hold a question and answer session and a presentation on the candidate at 7 p.m., Feb 22 at The Percolator Café.

No matter what political affiliation, all three groups hope their fellow students will get involved. The University Democrats hold their meetings at 3 p.m. every Tuesday at the Bhutan Lounge. The next College Republicans' meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 23, at room 307 in the College of Business Administration Building.

Henry Arrambide may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.