Although its official kick-off is not until Sept. 20, UW-Madison’s chapter of Students for Hillary Clinton expects strong support and participation from the student body.

“We’re just starting up right now, so we’re in the process of recruiting,” said Keith Nevitt, executive chair of media and communication for SFHC, also known as Badgers for Hillary.

Hillary Clinton has a significant lead in the national polls, and SFHC expects similar support on campus. According to the most recent national Gallup poll, Clinton leads Obama 48 to 25 percent among polled Democrats.

SFHC is working to bolster the amount of Democrats at UW-Madison supporting Clinton, too, according to Nevitt.

“Our volunteer list is definitely getting up there,” Nevitt said, citing the group’s participation at Tuesday’s Student Organization Fair.

Roughly 150 students have signed up on the group e-mail list and have expressed interest, Nevitt said.

To help recruit students and keep its members informed about upcoming events, SFHC created a Facebook group for Wisconsin’s chapter. The group also has a website under construction.

Nevitt said the group is trying to plan more original fundraisers, as well as planning one or two trips to Iowa to garner voter support for the Democratic primary.

“It’s still really early in the election, and a lot of students haven’t made up their minds,” Nevitt said.

Clinton’s experience and global connections make her the best candidate, according to Nevitt.

SFHC is just one example of nationwide attempts to strengthen the youth vote, which played a role in the 2006 Presidential election.

“Student voter turnout has been increasing significantly, and it really shows that students’ voices are deciding elections,” said Nicole Juan, a UW-Madison alumna and executive director of the United Council.

She said the 2008 election will touch on many issues relevant to the lives of UW-Madison students. Tuition, financial aid and higher education in general will all matter to students, according to Juan.