With the Nov. 3 local elections less than a month away, Penn State student and borough council candidate Brett Fisher is calling on his fellow students to put him in office.

Fisher (senior-science), a Republican candidate, is hoping votes from his fellow students will win him a seat on the seven-person council. While acknowledging that he must get the word out to more students, Fisher said those he has talked to gave him their overwhelming support.

"Student support is going to be important," he said. "The reception we have gotten is incredibly positive, but we have to do a better job of increasing exposure."

Students must have their registration application postmarked by today if they wish to register or re-register in State College for the upcoming election.

Jon Eich, chairman of the Centre County Board of Commissioners and Board of Elections, said total registrations in Centre County are down by about 7,000 from last year's total of 105,000. Eich said voters who had been inactive for the last six years were purged from the county's voter registration records.

Currently, there are no students on the council, but Alex Smith, president of the Penn State College Republicans, thinks Fisher has a chance to win in November.

"It all depends on how many students come out to vote," Smith (senior-finance) said.

But despite Fisher's run, some students plan on staying away from the polls, either because they are uninformed about the election or simply don't care.

"I had no idea about the election," Kurt Crawford (junior-civil engineering) said. "I don't really care. It doesn't have much effect on students."

But Smith said students like Crawford should care -- particularly because the council has the power to levy taxes on alcohol served in bars or restaurants.

"That tax would affect anyone who goes to bars, which is the majority of students over 21," he said.

Fisher is opposed to new taxes on students and local residents. He advocates lowering property taxes, a move he said would benefit students and local residents alike.

"Real estate taxes have gone up every year," Fisher said. "We have to bring businesses downtown to take the tax burden off local residents. The way we do that is lower taxes."

Despite Fisher's call for lower taxes, student Tyler Smith (junior-finance) doesn't think local residents will support Fisher because they have the perception that he is young and inexperienced. But Fisher disagrees.

"I am experienced," Fisher said. "I have started two businesses. I have worked for Johnson & Johnson. I am the president of the Ski Club. I have leadership experience."

Fisher managed a small painting business through a parent company, CollegeWorks Painting, and later incorporated his own business, FTT Services Group Inc., which provided epoxy garage floor coatings for State College residents.

Although Fisher hopes to draw some votes from local residents, he ultimately wants to provide representation for students.

"The borough council currently consists of zero percent students," he said. "I think students make up about 75 percent of State College's population. I think it's only fair for us to be represented."