Many state politicos had predicted that the vast majority of delegates would be elected from special-interest slates uncommitted to any specific candidate. Running uncommitted will "sharpen the focus on the debate so more issues will be heard," said Harris, a longtime Cambridge activist.

But while statewide results of the 578 caucuses have yet to be tabulated, Lt. Gov. Eveyln F. Murphy's camp swept the caucus in ultraliberal Ward Eight, winning six of the seven delegate spots.

Both Gerstein and Kaplan, who began the afternoon uncommitted, came out of the caucus wearing green Murphy stickers.

"I think what they did was unwise," said Margaret A. Blood, executive director of the Massachusetts Children's Caucus and the only uncommitted delegate to be elected from the ward. Uncommitted slates like Mass. Future, she said, were more likely to address student issues than the Murphy campaign.

But the Harvard Democrats said they were happy with their choice. "We accomplished both of our main goals," said Kaplan, explaining that the Harvard group had set out to do two things: get involved in the state convention process and support the candidate who would best serve the state.

Harris, whose wife and son came to vote for him, lost on the uncommitted slate along with ward committee officers Lansing Fair and Gerry Ryan.

Ryan, who said he could not remember the last convention he did not attend as a delegate, appeared unfazed by his defeat, however. After the votes were counted out from a Bloomingdales shopping bag and the final results announced--sending the Murphy supporters into cheers for their victory--the group of uncommitted activists said their goodbyes at the table in the corner and congratulated Blood for winning her seat at the convention.

"You win some and lose some," said Ryan. "I'll be there, probably working for a candidate."