The number of candidates running for the Undergraduate Council this fall is varied widely by district, with heavy competition in some, but not enough candidates to fill the open seats in others.

In total, there are 127 candidates for the 88 seats on the council, a number close to the 132 candidates fielded last year.

Last year's fall elections were dominated by candidates running under the umbrella of the Progressive Undergraduate Council Coalition (PUCC). Many felt that the large turnout that year--33 more than from a year before--was the result of PUCC's intense involvement.

"The turnout is very good, considering there was no outside recruitment [by organizations such as PUCC]," said Election Commission member Robert B. Wolinsky '97.

The makeup of the candidate field indicated waning interest among upperclass students. While districts such as the North Yard had 19 people competing for six seats, both Lowell and Winthrop Houses had only three candidates for each of the house's five seats. Mather and Cabot Houses also did not get enough people to run.

The drop-off in the upperclass houses is not unusual, said veteran members of the council.

"It really takes a big time commitment to be on the council," said Rudd W. Coffey '97, a three-year council veteran.

Coffey, who has served as the council's Campus Life Committee Co-Chair in the past and has waged three unsuccessful campaigns for the council presidency, said he felt it was important that he run again.

"I would be the only person in my class to be on the council for all four years," Coffey said.

Only 20 of the 127 candidates have already served on the council.

According to Wolinsky, the empty seats in the houses will be filled by special elections.

It's just chance that there's a fluctuation from house to house," Wolinsky said. "Most of it is just cyclical."

In the houses that didn't field enough candidates, Wolinsky and rest of the Election Commission will table at meals and poster in hopes of finding more people.

Besides the Election Commission, president Robert M. Hyman '98 and vice president Lamelle D. Rawlins '99 also made a recruiting effort.

This fall, the duo made a strong effort to target recruitment efforts at women and minorities, urging members of student groups such as the Black Students Association, the Minority Students Association, the Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Students Association and the Radcliffe Union of Students to run.

Students will be able to vote for their House or Yard representatives through their unix accounts on October 2-4. Position papers will be available on-line.

Votes will be tabulated according to the Hare Proportional system to determine the winners. Each house and Yard district has four to six representatives, depending on its population