Tomorrow will mark the first big wave of Democratic presidential primaries in the U.S. Seven state primaries will be held Feb. 3, leaving Democrats across the country currently holding their breath to see who will come out on top.

Now that Dick Gephardt, an obvious choice for Missouri voters, is out of the race, excitement runs high for students on Washington University’s campus.

“Now that Congressman Gephardt is no longer in the race, Missouri is anyone’s state,” said sophomore Nicole Soussan, president of the College Democrats.

According to political science professor William Lowry, local favorite Gephardt’s decision to drop out of the race on Jan. 20 has dramatically increased the impact that Missouri’s primary-and students’ votes-could have at the national level.

“It’s hard to name another state in the U.S. as representative as Missouri is,” said Lowry. “Missouri is fairly ideologically centered. It is mixed on political views, with a Democratic governor and a Republican legislature.”

Recognizing the powerful potentials involved in winning the Missouri primary, three Democratic candidates visited St. Louis in the past week to increase their supporter base. John Kerry, John Edwards and Al Sharpton all made public appearances to overflowing audiences, hoping to persuade Missouri’s Democrats to vote for them in tomorrow’s primary.

“In the 20th century, Missouri was considered a ‘bellwether state,’ a very accurate indicator of who was going to win the election,” said Lowry. “In every election except the 1956 election, the candidate who won Missouri went on to win the presidential election.”

Missouri’s primary will also provide a good indication of whether or not people will show up to vote in the 2004 presidential election. Although New Hampshire’s primary saw a record turnout, it’s not yet clear whether this phenomenon will be repeated.

“[This primary] will probably tell us something about whether Democrats will mobilize in the fall and turn out to vote,” said Lowry.

This year, with so many Democratic presidential candidates still in the race, the way that the majority of University students will vote is still unclear.

“I think there’s support for a number of candidates on campus,” said Soussan.

She recommended that students who intend to vote get an absentee ballot and vote in Missouri, unless they are from a “swing” state where every vote counts.

“I encourage everyone to vote,” she said. “When there are so many candidates in the race, every vote makes a difference.”

There are several places that University students who are registered Democrats can go to cast their votes. Students living on the South 40 can vote at Wydown Middle School, where polls are open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Students living on Snow Way can vote at the Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 7157 Northmoor Drive. All students need to bring is their state ID, and Washington University ID as proof that they are students.

After the polls are closed tomorrow, the question on voters’ minds will be answered. In honor of the event, the College Democrats are having a returns-watching party tomorrow night in Lien with the American Politics classes.

Soussan said that the winner of the Mock Presidential Primary the College Democrats ran at the Activities Fair will be revealed there, providing a good indication of students’ views.

For more information, interested students can contact the Missouri Election Board at 314-615-1800.

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