EVERY presidential election year brings an assortment of straw votes aimed at indicating how part, or all, of the electorate might feel about candidates or issues. Next year TIME will underwrite a vote that will be different from any ever attempted before. It will be a nationwide presidential primary on college campuses, scheduled for April 24.

The idea was brought to us by Robert Harris, a recent graduate of Michigan State University. He pointed out that of the nearly 7,000,000 students enrolled in colleges this fall, more than 70% are under 21 and un able to vote, though their political maturity and interest are at a high level. Why not find out how they feel about the presidency?

We asked Harris to make a trip to campuses across the country and test reactions among student leaders. At the same time, we queried 18 of our stringers on major campuses to get another range of opinion. The response was positive. To give us an earwitness report, Harris tape-recorded many of his talks with student leaders and played them back for us in New York. Ultimately we agreed to finance all costs of the primary, which will be planned and conducted entirely by the students.

A board of directors, composed of student leaders from all parts of the country, went to work to assure involvement of as many students on as many campuses as possible. On the board are representatives from the University of California at Berkeley, Kansas State Teachers College, University of Texas, Fordham University, University of Wisconsin, University of Utah, University of Tennessee, Michigan State, Yale, Georgia Institute of Technology, and University of Oregon. They and Harris, who was named executive director of the program, feel strongly that a large vote will be sure proof of the political responsibility and maturity of students.

Last week the students made public the results of their first round of activity. More than 200 major colleges in all 50 states, acting through their student leaders, senates and councils, have already agreed to participate in the primary--called CHOICE 68. These schools alone have an enrollment of over 2,000,000 students, and if the present 99% rate of favorable response continues, the directors anticipate that more than 2,400 campuses with over 5,000,000 students will enter the vote in April.

Enrollment in a college or university will be the only test of voting eligibility. We believe there will be a very substantial turnout, mostly because all students, not just the much publicized militant activists, will have the chance to record their views. And of course, there's the appeal of participating in an event that should give professional politicians some food for thought. Results of the primary will be independently tabulated and made available to all media, interested organizations and individuals.

More details of the primary may be obtained by writing to CHOICE 68, c/o TIME Public Affairs Department, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020.

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