Although three of the four tickets running for Undergraduate Student Government president and vice president have candidates involved in fraternities and sororities, the candidates agree that Greek affiliation will not clinch the vote on election day.

Both members of the Mike King/Lori Pennay and Matt Thomas/Joy Brown tickets are Greek. Members of the Greek organizations they are affiliated with have helped hang up fliers and lend moral support.

King, USG Senate president and a Pi Lambda Phi fraternity member, said he and Pennay (junior-speech communication), a member of Chi Omega sorority, 101 Haller, have tried to include all different groups in their campaign, and the majority of his campaign workers are non-Greek.

"All the candidates are involved in different organizations," King said. "The support of those organizations will certainly help on election day."

Thomas (junior-journalism and English), a member of Kappa Alpha order, isn't sure if being Greek will help him in the election because he said that during the last several years, sorority and fraternity members have not voted much. Brown (junior-accounting) is a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority, 3 Stone.

USG President Chris Saunders, a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity, 305 E. Prospect Ave., said Greek affiliation may not help win the election because not many people knew he was a fraternity member.

"I think that the bottom line is, being Greek can't hurt, but it's the competency of the candidates and the feasibility of their campaign planks and the strength of the campaign theme that makes the difference," he said.

Former USG Academic Assembly President Erich May is not a Greek, but his running mate, April Campbell (junior-Spanish), is a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority, 108 Haller.

Students will not use Greek affiliation to choose a candidate and instead will see that he is approachable and "down-to-earth," May said.

"I don't have to be Greek to be the greatest Greek advocate among these tickets," he said, adding that a number of students working on his campaign are Greek, including Tom Dymek, his campaign manager and former Interfraternity Council administrative vice president.

But the Greek tickets may be at an advantage, said Latino Caucus President Carina Defferrire, who has taken a leave of absence from Latino Caucus.

Defferrire and Pat Scanlan, former Penn State University Veterans Organization vice president, are the sole non-Greek ticket. Defferrire cited the strength of the Greek community as a factor, but said fraternity and sorority feedback has been positive and she is confident Greek community members will vote for the ticket that will best represent students.

"We are all Penn State students no matter if we're involved in organizations or not," she said.

Jim Stephens, Association of Residence Hall Students president and USG candidate and campaign elections commissioner, said it is important for a candidate to be active in student organizations. He added that Greek candidates tend to have a bit of an advantage, but that if IFC endorsed a candidate, that advantage would increase.

This year IFC, Panhellenic Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council have decided against endorsing a candidate.

IFC President Mike Steinberg said IFC and PHC don't usually endorse a ticket because both organizations work closely with USG and it would be a conflict of interest. In 1990, IFC endorsed former USG President and Vice President J.P. Muir and Sue Williams.

NPHC Co-President Ali Thrower said his organization has never endorsed a candidate in the past.

"We're not endorsing because we have various organizations under our umbrella," Thrower said, but added that NPHC has welcomed the candidates to its meetings.