As the polls for local elections open today, Harvard students may not be rushing to cast their ballots.

But last night, both challengers and incumbents stressed the importance of students playing a role in city politics.

"Harvard really hasn't plugged in to the Cambridge schools," said School Committee candidate Charles Stead. "Black and Hispanic men are not making it in the city of Cambridge [schools] and I have yet to see Harvard step up and help... but if individual students could help out, we'd certainly appreciate it."

Stead, a former principal of the King School, was busy pounding the pavement in Central Square as the sun set yesterday.

Stead shook hands with passersby at the corner of Mass. Ave and Prospect Street, chatting about his appearance at three area churches Sunday and his experience as a 33-year veteran of the Cambridge school system.

"I'm a grassroots person, a lifelong resident of Cambridge from the Coast, the riverside, to the 'port, to North Cambridge," Stead said, stressing the importance of students voting in both the city election and schools.

Across the street from Stead, incumbent city councillors were busy addressing community concerns in city hall.

Councillors listened patiently as residents voiced concern regarding recent events ranging from Jiang Zemin's visit to the Tasty's fate--events that in their minds overshadowed the local election.

"You're all slow on the uptake tonight," joked Mayor Sheila Doyle Russell as councillors shuffled through reams of proposals set for consideration at the end of the meeting.

Councillor Henrietta Davis took a break from deliberations to emphasize a point made just as the meeting convened.

In the wake of the recent death of an MIT student, residents called for increased safety precautions surrounding Memorial Drive, and Davis was quick to note the proposal's importance for Harvard students as well.

"There are a lot of student interests at stake in this election," Davis said.

"Obviously the first was brought up at the beginning of the meeting--the safety of Memorial Drive. But in general, the things decided here [in city hall] affect all affect each students' life in some way," she said.

Students eligible to vote in the local election can cast their votes at several area sites throughout Cambridge.

Polling sites include the Agassiz School at 29 Garden St., King School on Putnam Ave., Peabody School on Linnaean St., Putnam Apartments at 2 Mt. Auburn St., Youville Hospital on Hovey Ave. and on-campus polling stations at Quincy House and Gund Hall.