When the Democratic National Convention assembles in Boston in late July, two politically active Dartmouth students will be present as delegates. Sarah Ayres '06 and Jacob Crumbine '07 will perform a largely symbolic civic duty and cast votes nominating former Vermont state Gov. Howard Dean to serve as the party's presidential candidate.
Ayres and Crumbine began actively campaigning for Dean over the summer and continued throughout the 2004 primaries. The once-frontrunner formally dropped out of the race in February after a long string of primary losses.
A Hanover resident, Ayres was elected to represent Dean on behalf of New Hampshire's Second Congressional District in January. Ayres took a leave term in the fall to serve as a full-time campaign volunteer.
Crumbine was elected to serve as one of Vermont's seven total Dean delegates Saturday. He was one of three males selected from a total pool of 42 Dean supporters.
Crumbine had to first earn a nomination from his hometown of Norwich, Vt., to attend Saturday's state convention. At the state convention, he delivered a 30-second speech stressing the importance of mobilizing college-aged voters.
"It's really important to have a youth representing Dean and the Democratic Party," said Crumbine, who sent out 634 postcards to the voting population stressing that fact.
"I kind of was inspired by [Ayres] and I spoke with her about what she did," Crumbine added.
Ayres, who is currently in Washington, D.C., on the government Foreign Study Program, was more than pleased to learn that Crumbine would be joining her in Boston this summer.
"I'm thrilled that Jacob is going to the convention," Ayres said. "I think it's a great thing for Dartmouth College to have two students from the College going to the convention."
According to Ayres, Dartmouth's representation is indicative of the bastion of support that Dean enjoyed on college campuses and among young people in general.
Both Ayres and Crumbine said that once the convention is over, they will wholeheartedly support Sen. John Kerry's campaign.
Past party conventions have been hotbeds for protest and uprising.
In a news conference Wednesday, Attorney General John Ashcroft officially acknowledged that this year's Democratic and the Republican conventions will be prime targets for terrorist activities.
Crumbine admitted that Ashcroft's announcement concerned him.
"It has crossed my mind, and I guess it's just a risk that you have to take," Crumbine said. "I guess I trust that it will be OK."
Being delegates for Dean is not the only thing that Ayres and Crumbine have in common. Both delegates graduated from Hanover High School, and they both have parents who are members of the faculty.
