POCATELLO - Alex Bell sits in Idaho State University's Student Union Building, perusing the local letters to the editor, most of which offer endorsements or warnings about state and national candidates for political offices.

The testimonials and opinions appear not to have moved Bell. The 18-year-old, a potential first-time voter in a presidential contest, will not be participating.

"I just don't like either candidate," Bell said. "I don't trust any of them."

Bell's distaste for the two presidential aspirants goes beyond just the men themselves. His ideal candidate would not be affiliated with either party.

"They would not be Republican or Democrat," he said. "The best president would be a person, and not a party."

College students have a notorious track record of voter apathy, but Bell may be in a minority of those who do not cast a ballot this year. The 2008 race for the White House seems to have energized ISU students.

And if you've tired of the constant negativity in the national elections, the campus climate is simply refreshing.

"Even though we're the College Republicans, I don't want to go out there and just look for conservative-thinking students," said Max Pond, the organization's president. "I think it's important for people to get out there and vote, regardless of who they're voting for. I think the College Democrats, along with us, have been doing a great job of getting people excited to vote and getting people registered."

Pond, 20, even has kudos for Barack Obama's political machine.

"I think the Obama campaign has done a tremendous job of getting the people excited," he said. "It's a really great thing that he's done."

Pond estimates his organization has registered 30 to 40 people. He concedes that the Obama phenomena has made recruiting easier for his Democrat counterparts.

Diana Painter, the president of the College Democrats, estimates her group has registered approximately 320 students to vote since the fall term started.

"People are really excited," she said. "There's just a lot of people who come up (to our table) and give you a high-five.

"They're wearing Obama shirts and … want bumper stickers and want to volunteer. It feels good to be on the winning team, because Democrats haven't been on the winning team nationally in eight years."

Painter believes that voter turnout will be high among ISU students this year.

"On campus, students voted about 30 percent (in 2004)," she said. "This year, we're going to get 70 percent, I bet. It could be as high as 80."

Like Pond, Painter believes the primary goal of her organization is to get the students to vote. Who they vote for is secondary.

"We actually have partnered, the Republicans and Democrats and the Student's Community Service Center. We're going to be giving rides to the polls on election day," she said. "It doesn't matter who you're voting for. We just want to make sure people get out and exercise their right to vote."

Elizabeth Hickman, a senior in history, staffs the student union's information desk 25 hours per week. She said she receives five to 10 calls a day asking about voter registration deadlines and where to vote. She thinks the numbers will increase in the next four days.

"We are the all-knowing," Hickman said in jest. "They think we have information about everything."

"I've given out tons of those," she said, pointing at sheets indicating the location of local voting precincts.

Many students need no additional information or prodding, and have already cast their votes.

Kelli Barnes mailed her absentee ballot to Ada County Wednesday. Barnes, 35, has lived throughout the West, and is surprised by Idaho's comparative lack of election fervor.

"This is the least political place I've ever lived," she said.

Sitting with Barnes is Nicole Misarti, an Alaska resident. She, too, has cast her vote via absentee ballot. Her Alaskan residency begs the obvious question: Did the inclusion of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on the Republican ticket influence her vote for the presidency?

"Absolutely not," Misarti 35, said. "I didn't even vote for her for governor."

Also at the table is Veronica Lech. She won't be voting in the Nov. 4 election, not because she's apolitical, but because she's Canadian. Still, she weighed in on the American system. One of her main objections is the lack of choices.

"There's only a two-party system here," she said.

Lech noted that five parties vie for representation in the House of Commons in Canada. Lech identifies with the New Democratic Party of Canada. The NPD, formed in 1961, is considered to embrace a center-left position in the Canadian political spectrum.

Prodded as to how she'd vote if she were a U.S. citizen.

"I have the Obama sticker in my window," she said. "I do like him."

Marley Chatterton, 25, will be voting in her second election. A junior in business management, Chatterton said there is currently more dialogue on campus about the coming election than there was in 2004. She said campus groups and instructors have urged students to register, to know who the candidates are and what they stand for, and to vote Nov. 4.

"The last election, I don't remember there being much that I heard on campus," she said. "There's more activity now."

By John Bulger

jbulger@journalnet.com