Eighty-seven students won seats last week in the Undergraduate Council's second elections, in a contest marked by lower voter turnout and a smaller number of candidates than last year.

Nearly one-half--46.7 percent--of students in the College voted in this year's election, down from last year's figure of 54 percent. Turnout in the Houses ranged from more than 59 percent in Lowell and Winthrop Houses to slightly over five percent in Adams House, where only 22 of the House's 377 eligible students voted.

Election officials attributed the decreased voter turnout to the fact that elections in four Houses--Adams, Dudley, Kirkland and South--were uncontested.

"In the Houses where elections were contested, the turnout is the same as last year," said Winthrop House Representative Eliot T. Kieval '84, citing this year's 52 percent turnout for contested elections and the election of six write-in candidates.

Jeffrey M. Rosen '86, an Adams representative, blamed the low turnout in his House on poor organization at the polls. "The voting table was only open for one meal," said Rosen, adding "It's not the turnout that matters, but the fact that the elections were uncontested."

Last year, more than 200 students ran in the council's first elections, compared to this year's 130. After a year of debate and planing, the council was established after a campus-wide referendum in the spring of 1981 as the first student-funded government with representation on Faculty committees. The Undergraduate Council succeeded the Student Assembly, founded in 1978.

Getting Re-Started

With 27 returning members and the by-laws in place, this year's council will be better prepared to tackle issues when it convenes for the first time Wednesday to elect its four officers, several members said.

"This year we'll be able to get started on projects right away," said Kelly 1. Klegar '85, a representative from Winthrop House, adding. "We'll have more legitimacy because of our accomplishments last year."

Representatives cited renovations, sexual harassment, and the Core Curriculum as issues they wanted to see addressed by the council this year. Several representatives said a recently publicized harassment case against a professor in the Government Department will lend urgency to that issue.

"Last year was setting the policy, this year will be enacting and enforcing it," said Thomas C. Cronin '86, an Eliot House representative. Victor G. Freeman '84, a returning representative from Winthrop, said he hopes to work with the Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) on the issue. "In general, we'll be consolidating all the networks of student organization," he added.

Continued renovations of the Houses and the effect on students will also be an issue, said Brian R. Melendez '86 Kira R. Diaz '86, a Mather House representative who was on the Academics Committee last year, said that the committee report on the Core would continue to be evaluated "when we're not so hurried."

Day-to-day student concerns were also priorities among members William Berkman 87 of the North Yard district said he hoped to get a stop sign or a speed bump placed at the crosswalk on Quincy St. which leads to the Freshman Union.

John G. McCallister '85 of Lowell House said he wanted to extend weekend hours at the Indoor Athletic Building and plan a campus wide party. "My approach is to tackle do-able things," he said.

But Timothy J. Keating '85, a representative from Leverett House said he believes the council's handling of finances can be improved by giving students a greater say in how the money is spent. "[Friends of the] Spartacus [Youth League] received funding last year, but not the rugby league--which upset some people. It needs to be more publicized where the money goes," Keating said.