FEBRUARY 24, 2004—This Saturday, the Oberlin College Democrats will choose a Democratic presidential nominee at a mock convention to be held from 1 to 6 p.m. in the Commons of the College’s Science Center. Oberlin faculty members will represent each of the nine candidates and their views.

"Since Oberlin students generally lean to the left politically, we believe the real contest is going to be in the primary rather than in the actual election, as long as there is no viable third party candidate," says Abby Deats, Oberlin College Democrats secretary and mock convention co-chair.

"We expect turnout to be high. This event is intended to provide the college community with information on all the Democratic candidates, and to generate interest in the Ohio primary, which is Tuesday, March 2, three days after the convention," Deats says.

Deats encourages people to stop by from 1-3 p.m. for information on the candidates, and then return for the professor/candidate forum from 3 to 4 p.m., and voting by roll call from 4 to 6 p.m.

Science Commons areas will be designated for each state, and students will represent delegates. Each state will have 100 votes; one person from each state will tally the votes and will announce them after each roll call. Participants can strategize, and candidates who are shut out of the race can endorse those still in the running. The winner of the final round will be announced as the OCD nominee, and the professor representing the candidate will give an acceptance speech.

Oberlin is the first institution of higher learning in the United States to hold mock conventions. The tradition dates back 1860, when legend has it that Abraham Lincoln was the first nominee to be chosen.

From then to the 1960s, Oberlin—college and town—sustained a local Republican majority, and applauded the student habit of holding Republican conventions. This year’s mock convention is the first to be held at the College since 1968.