The full force of the American political machine is upon Pennsylvania after its emergence as a major battleground state for the Democratic primary season. One may have observed one or two people with a clipboard urging people to register to vote, if not an influx of campaigning on campus.

With a historic number of young people involving themselves in the political process this election cycle, it is no surprise to find an increase in political action around other Philadelphia universities as well.

“I think students are pretty active this time around compared to more apathetic at other times in the past,” said Romit Bhattacharya, a junior neuroscience and English double major at University of Pennsylvania.

One Sen. Barack Obama supporter, Miles Galbraith, who is working on the Illinois senator’s campaign on Drexel’s campus, said what he’s seen has been very encouraging.

“Students are dying to help out,” he said. “It’s been really good so far. People are active and seem excited.”

The excitement of this presidential election is inspiring renewed effort within political organizations around university campuses in the Philadelphia region. Penn College Republicans recently launched a new Web site, penncollegerepublicans.com, as part of its broader strategic communications campaign.