When state Senate President Mike Miller was attending the university in the early ’60s, he lost one of his first campaigns — for a leadership spot within his fraternity — by one vote.

He later learned neither his close friend nor his roommate had bothered to cast a ballot.

As a result, he never took a single vote for granted again, he told a small crowd gathered to hear him speak in the Art-Sociology Building last night. At the invitation of the College Democrats, Miller, who after more than 20 years is the longest serving senate president in the nation, came to the university to rouse young voters into getting involved in the 2010 state elections.

There are nearly two and a half times more registered Democrats within the ages of 18 and 24 than there are Republicans. With students’ help, Miller said he thinks Democrats could retain control of the state legislature and the governor’s seat.

“It’s easy to get someone to register, but to get them to vote is something else,” Miller said. “Work hard for the next 11 months, and you’ll have four more years of good government.”

Although Miller’s primary message was to encourage students who voted in droves for President Barack Obama to go to the polls in November for the gubernatorial elections, he also regaled the audience, comprised mostly of College Democrats, with tales of his long friendship with former President Bill Clinton, his distaste for the Terrapins’ recruiting practices —  “You can’t beat somebody with nobody” — and his stances on policy issues.

His advice on encouraging students to vote was not lost on College Democrats Campaigns Director Michael Besser, a senior government and politics major.

“During off-year elections, it’s much harder to get people out [to the polls] than presidential elections,” Besser said. “And every young person you get out is typically a vote for a Democrat or a progressive candidate, so it’s really important that we get involved.”

After Miller’s brief address, audience members, which included state Del. Barbara Frush (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) and newly elected College Park city councilman and graduate student Marcus Afzali, submitted questions ranging from Miller’s stance on collective bargaining for graduate students to the recent Republican victories in Virginia.

When asked about the possibility of a tuition freeze next year, Miller all but guaranteed that it would stay in place.

“[Gov. Martin] O’Malley has adopted it as his mantra, that tuition won’t increase during his four years in office,” Miller said. “It’s good politics for the governor and good policy.”

As the audience’s questions were read aloud by organizers, Miller reiterated his support for the death penalty and said he doesn’t believe a same-sex marriage bill will pass anytime soon or even secure enough votes within the General Assembly to make it onto a referendum for state voters.

College Democrats President Amy Hartman, a senior government and politics and women’s studies major, said she wished he spoke  more about gay rights.

“There are some differences of opinion between him and us — he’s a little more conservative than we are,” she said.

Miller concluded his speech by painting a picture of a dark day that could be on the horizon if students don’t act. He prompted the audience to imagine a day beginning in a fight with a significant other and a delivery boy that leaves the paper at the far end of the driveway.

“So you go out into the rain to get the paper and you open it up and it says ‘Bob Ehrlich Re-elected,'” he said, gripping the podium for emphasis. “Is that the kind of election you want? No.”

After a pause for emphasis, he told them to picture a bright, morning after a night of passionate lovemaking when the headline proclaims O’Malley’s win in bold.

“‘Democrats sweep!'” he said, spreading his arms wide amidst gales of laughter. “Isn’t that the kind of day you want?”

astice at umdbk dot com