Media coverage was most likely a key factor in the high turnout. The recall was blared on late night TV, constantly featured on the front page of newspapers and in the jokes of every political pundit. This is in addition to the usual slew of election ads, debates and promotions.

The multitude of candidates eager for the governor¹s job has been ridiculed, mocked and marveled over, but the oft-ignored benefit of the masses of applicants is that for once, there really is a candidate for everyone.

Just about every inch of the political spectrum has a voice ‹ and even though that made for something of a circus, at least it gave students the opportunity to find a candidate with whom they could identify. Hopefully, it won¹t take a similarly bizarre election in 2006 to repeat the high turnout.

Regardless of who received student support, voters should be praised for taking part in the democratic process by filling out a ballot. The Oct. 7 election was an important one and it¹s admirable to see that students recognized that.