Promises are being made and hands are being shaken, but after all the campaigning and debates are finished, only one thing will really matter -- voter turnout on election day.

Although the University generally has one of the best voter turnouts of all Big Ten schools for student government elections, Scott Payne, head elections commissioner and Association of Residence Hall Students president, said he would like to increase the numbers.

Penn State usually has a 20 percent voter turnout, but Michigan State University has less than 1 percent voter turnout, Payne added.

Payne said commissioners want to reach students on a daily basis. They will hold a "meet the candidates" day at the Student Book Store, 330 E. College Ave., and post fliers saying, "Vote," at polling places on March 30, election day.

Jitu Modi, voting and tallying elections commissioner and South Halls senator, said commissioners will advertise elections on overhead projections to larger classes, such as those in Schwab Auditorium and the Forum.

Andrew Coonradt, debates and publicity elections commissioner, believes the debates are going to generate the most student interest.

"We usually get a fairly decent crowd, because we get a lot of publicity," Coonradt said. The crowds will grow as the debates continue, he added. About 50 people turned out to watch the debate last Thursday.

Although commissioners are working to get students interested, several agree that the candidates are primarily responsible for reaching students.

The four tickets are Latino Caucus President Carina Defferrire and former Penn State University Veterans Organization Vice President Pat Scanlan; Undergraduate Student Government Senate President Mike King and Lori Pennay (junior-speech communications); former Academic Assembly President Erich May and April Campbell (junior-Spanish); and Matt Thomas (senior-journalism and English) and Joy Brown (junior-accounting). Defferrire took a leave of absence as Latino Caucus president.

Candidates will hang fliers, make public appearances and do something a little extra to capture students' votes.

Defferrire said she wants to reach out to individual students by making herself available on campus.

"I love to talk, and I want to know what the students want from their government," she said.

King also wants to reach out to students, and he and Pennay will sit in the HUB with campaign materials and fliers so that students can come over and talk. "We are very approachable," he said.

May said he gets student input on the weekends when he is out with friends and talking to other students.

"Any responsible candidate for student government is concerned first and foremost with the students," he said.

Thomas said he also wants to reach individual students by being friendly and approachable.

"I say, 'Hi. I'm Matt Thomas and I'm running for USG president,' " he said.

Defferrire, King and Thomas said student response has been positive to their campaigns and platforms. But May has received negative feedback so far -- students generally don't think USG has done anything for them, he said.

Larry Santucci (junior-history), former USG East Halls senator, said he will vote because it is his responsibility as a student, but he doesn't think the commissioners or candidates will change student apathy.

"They could go out on the street with bullhorns," but they probably would not get the students' attention, he said.