RINDGE — Representatives from the Democratic, Libertarian and Republican presidential campaigns got the chance to court young voters at the Franklin Pierce University Candidates Fair on Monday.

Speaking to students in Spagnuolo Hall in the morning, actor and White House staffer Kal Penn was introduced by a campaign worker who said Penn would tell them “how awesome President Obama is.”

When Penn took to the podium, he spoke about his experiences working at the White House.

When he opened the floor up to questions, he assured the young voters that President Barack Obama would do more for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in his second term.

“First of all he's going to marry Joe Biden,” Penn joked.

After the laughter subsided, Penn said Obama would work to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

“There's a lot of other agenda items. It's not done by any means,” Penn said in regard to the LGBT community.

Penn spoke to other Obama positions, including the rich paying more taxes and the funding of education to grow the economy.

“I think the most important thing is related to jobs,” Penn said.

Obama doubled Pell Grants and has increased funding for science technology, engineering and mathematics education, Penn said. “It's not just to be more educated, it's directly tied into economic growth.”

Tim Brown, an 18-year-old freshman, stayed after the speech to get his photo taken with Penn.

“I was a supporter of Obama to begin with and I'm a fan of Kal Penn's movies,” Brown said. “I was interested in coming to listen to him and reinforce my support of the Obama Administration, what they are doing.”

Drew Cyr, regional field director for the Mitt Romney presidential campaign, attracted a smaller group of students when he spoke in the hall Monday afternoon.

Cyr appealed to the students on the economy and jobs.

“Of all the college graduates, only 50 percent of us are going to be able to find a job after graduation,” Cyr said.

Before Obama, he said, college graduates had their pick of jobs. Under a Romney administration, getting a good job after graduation would “no longer be a pipe dream or a fleeting thought, but something that you would expect to happen,” Cyr said.

“From day one of the Romney presidency, there will be one and only one focus, and that will be jobs,” Cyr said.

Cyr didn't speak to any social issues. Afterward, Jake Wazorko, 18, said the social issues are minor to his concerns about finding a job when he graduates. But he remains undecided as to which candidate would be better for the economy and job creation, Wazorko said.

Registered Republican Andi Williams, 18, said she plans to vote for Romney.

The size of government and the national debt are the big issues for her in this election.

“I support most of his ideas,” Williams said of Romney, “There are some things I don't agree with.”

The Candidates Fair was hosted by the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication at Franklin Pierce University in observance of Constitution Day.

Center Director Kristen Nevious said she would like to continue holding the fair on Constitution Day, which was Monday, and would like to attract more community members from the area next time.

Student participation in the fair was a great success, she said.

“Anyway they get engaged or intrigued by the political process is a good thing,” Nevious said.

mpierce@unionleader.com