Others objected to the large volume of publicity the vote generated.

"I resented all the buttons and the candlelight vigil--it seemed to be going overboard just over a fruit," says Jessica Y. He '00.

"People were interested in the grape issue at first, and then it became very trendy to complain about the publicity it was getting," adds Peter J. Simon '00.

While many were put off by the attention paid to the issue, some students appreciated the scrutiny, particularly those who voted against grapes.

"Many students took it very seriously," says Ben R. Harder '99, who voted against grapes. "There may have been more interest in the grape vote than in the U.C. election because it's a highly politicized issue."

Harder defends the grape dialogue and he agrees that strong feelings were more predominant in the anti-grape camp.

"There were definitely more people I knew who were strongly opposed than strongly in favor," he says.

Another anti-grape voter, Tiziana Vargas '01, says she did not believe the referendum was over-publicized.

"I think [the posters] did reflect how people cared," she says. "This issue is really personal for a lot of my friends."

Vargas says that both sides were effective in spreading their opinions.

"We have to be proud that people actually are informed," she says. "What they choose to do with the information is up to them."

Riess says the outcome of the vote can largely be explained by students' indifference.

"It seemed to me there were a lot of people who did not feel one way or the other but thought, 'What the heck, I like grapes,'" he says.