Protesters argued over the presidential candidates in what was supposed to be a peaceful gathering at Mill Avenue and University Drive Monday evening.
About 35 demonstrators impeded on a scheduled candlelight vigil, organized by the American Friends Service Committee, a national peace and justice organization.
Protesters ran between street corners flashing signs supporting Sen. John Kerry and President George Bush as cars honked.
"We want to make sure that the 12 percent [of undecided voters are] at least educated enough to know that their voice makes a difference ... whether they're voting for Kerry, or they're voting for Bush," said psychology freshman Heather Corcoran, a Bush supporter and one of the protesters at the event. "We just want to make sure that they get out there so that they can tip the margin."
Sociology and political science sophomore Tom Coniam, director of the coordinated campaigns for the ASU Young Democrats, said he was protesting because he wanted to get visibility out for Kerry and to "let [people] know this is not Bush country."
Bio-engineering sophomore Britney Corbitt said she was at the corner to remind people to vote.
"It's probably the most important thing that you can do," she said.
The protest took precedence over the candlelight vigil, which was a peaceful, non-partisan event.
The vigil was aimed at spreading democracy and raising awareness of the importance of voting, said Sue Hilderbrand, a local organizer.
"This is a time as a community where we can be silent and remember and internalize and really connect with what it means to live in a democracy," she said. "Let's light a candle for democracy in the truest sense and the ideal of democracy, when the reality is, I don't think most people think we're going to have a free and fair election [today]."
Noah Dillard, an ASU alumnus who participated in the vigil, said although the shouting took away from the vigil, it was still good that people were exercising their rights in a democracy.
"I feel like democracy really has to be supported in every way shape and form," he said. "I'm coming out here because I think that a number of folks believe that democracy isn't something that can just manifest itself, it's something that people have to work for."
Connie Engel, a justice studies graduate student and vigil participant, said she was not upset about the protest, although she would be happy if the vigil was able to generate the debate with their presence in a way that silence could also be visible.
"It's hard to be heard when we're silent over this loudness," she said.
Reach the reporter at shaina.levee@asu.edu.
