Voter registration cards were handed out last night as the Student Party announced its first candidate and discussed campaign strategies.

The party announced Brian Hoskins (junior-political science) as one of the three candidates that will be running for a seat on the State College Borough Council in the elections in November.

"I am marking this as the beginning of my political career," Hoskins said.

He said he hopes to help "bridge the gap" between the students and the residents of State College.

"It is evident that both sides hold contempt for one another," he said.

Residents and students must come together and there has to be more student involvement in the borough, Hoskins said.

Last night was Hoskins' first council meeting.

"To be honest, last night was my first meeting because I just got involved," he said.

But he is willing to stay in the borough even after graduation if he wins a seat on the council.

"I would definitely stay here and I will probably be here regardless," Hoskins said.

Even though council has said many policies it decides upon do not directly affect students, the Student Party thinks they do, Hoskins said.

"Students are unfairly represented in the borough," he said.

The party also stressed the importance of student involvement and announced its plan of action to get students to vote.

"We can't win an election without votes," said Sean Clark, a founder of the Student Party.

If students want to have a chance at winning a seat on the council, there must be major voter registration drives, Clark said.

The Student Party is trying to fill positions that would be in charge of hosting drives in four areas — on campus, student organizations, off campus and greek. These areas will be further divided by dorm, types of organizations, districts and different fraternity houses.

"We don't expect to fill all the positions, but we hope to fill as many as possible," party member Justin Leto said.

Clark expressed the importance of student voters.

"If we get every single on-campus student to vote, we will win all three seats," he said.

One State College resident attended the meeting to extend his support to the party.

"Students have no power in the borough and the meeting last night on the death penalty showed that the borough council don't give a damn about the kids," resident Mike Sletson said.

He urged the party to forge ahead because he feels it is a positive step for young people.

"It is important for young people to get involved in politics and the democratic process," he said.

The party originally planned to announce two candidates last night but decided to announce one at a time to "maximize media coverage," Clark said.

Students on both political sides, the left and right, have thought about taking over the borough for a long time and they have been receiving positive feedback about the formation of the party from residents and students alike, said Martin Austermuhle, a Student Party spokesman and organizer.

The Student Party will be focusing on parking regulations, housing ordinances, traffic mitigation actions and the three-unrelated rule that prevents three unrelated people from living together in a single-family home.

The party also will propose a "park where you live plan" to the council if elected. It would allow parking on residential streets and abolish the 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. ordinance in the borough.