The last day to register to vote became an opportunity for political campus groups to duke it out on Tuesday.
The College Republicans and the Progressive Student Alliance, which includes the College Democrats, the College Greens and the League of Pissed Off Voters, made a lot of noise and commotion around noontime on Smith Plaza as members of each group yelled comments back and forth for more than 15 minutes.
The College Republicans set up on the north side of the plaza and chanted, "four more years" through a microphone, while the Progressive Student Alliance on the south side responded with, "four more months" through a bullhorn. A masked representative of the League of Pissed Off Voters held a piece of cardboard that read "Think" as he walked up and down the plaza.
Adam Deguire, a national field representative for the College Republicans, said he teaches all the college Republicans who table to ignore comments geared toward conflict.
"Every minute we spend debating with them, we're losing a lot of potential Republicans," he said.
Morgan Pierce, co-chair of the College Democrats, said the commotion was not a big confrontation.
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She said the College Democrats, College Greens and the League of Pissed Off Voters noticed the College Republicans have a table on campus every day. They decided to cooperate to get a progressive presence on campus, she said.
Students noticed the commotion and so did professors who called the Student Activities Center to complain about the noise level.
"It's intense," student Rachel Hessheimer said. "It's kind of too overdone."
She said the demonstration did not bother her politically, but all the hoopla was going to drive people away.
Susan Corban, assistant director of student activities, came out to the plaza after receiving complaints from professors and told the groups to lower their noise level.
Corban said they do not schedule two groups to speak in the same areas, because it becomes a conflict.
"Everybody wants to be in the same place at the same time," Corban said.
She said logistical errors by the College Democrats and the League of Pissed Off Voters caused some confusion, but the commotion was caused by more than mistakes.
"It has to do with people's political opinions," Corban said. "It's election tension."
When student groups register an event with the Student Activities Center, they must specify sound, location and speakers. Loud noises are only allowed on Smith Plaza from noon to 1 p.m.
Corban said a microphone was acceptable on Smith Plaza, but not a bullhorn.
She said having both groups out on the plaza was disruptive to class and University business.
"People need to behave in a civilized manner," she said. "They can't disrupt other people's events, and they need to abide by the University rules."
There will be a meeting Wednesday with campus political groups and the Student Activities Center to reinforce the rules.
Deguire said the College Republicans will be on campus until Election Day.
Pierce said the confusion will be cleared up tomorrow when they take care of the necessary paperwork. The Progressive Student Alliance will continue to table as well.
"In the end, we are out here to get students involved in the political process," she said.
