U. students are holding a Super Tuesday Election Night Party at the Hinckley Caucus Room on campus, hoping to generate more interest in the issues surrounding the election and providing updates on the primary.

"Students are discussing everything more now," Mijic said. "Whether it be foreign policy or fiscal responsibility, the environment or whatever. It's really cool to see how engaged they are."

Dialogue is key in such a competitive race, Guliuzza said. National trends indicate student participation is up. In Utah, he suspects it will happen closer to convention season — although a plethora of bumper stickers, posters and lapel pins he says will continue to grow on campuses throughout the state.

"There's definitely more of a level of partisanship," he said. "And it's more partisan as a friendly engagement than we would have had back in 2004."

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