Widespread interest in the candidate forums has forced the IOP to distribute coveted “Hardball” tickets via lottery.

According to Solomon, 1,595 students, faculty and community members entered the drawing for 450 tickets to Matthews’ interview with Kerry, up from the 1,270 who entered the pool to watch Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, on Oct. 13.

The flood of lottery entries slightly subsided for the Rev. Al Sharpton’s scheduled appearance at the IOP this coming Monday, with 1,038 registrants for the drawing.

An additional 350 tickets to each event were distributed via student political and community groups.

Dean’s decision to participate in the “Hardball” series means that Harvard students will have the chance to hear the frontrunner in the New Hampshire primary race.

Dean leads Kerry by 12 percentage points in the Granite State, according to a survey of likely Democratic voters published Wednesday by The Concord Monitor.

The survey carried a margin of error of plus or minus five percentage points.

In Iowa, which opens the 2004 electoral season with Jan. 19 caucuses, polls show Dean in a dead heat with Rep. Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., who is slated to visit the IOP for a “Hardball” telecast on Nov. 10.

A recent nationwide poll sponsored by CNN, USA Today and Gallup showed Kucinich in dead last among the nine Democratic contenders, garnering support from three percent of the 388 Democratic voters surveyed.