If everything goes according to Brennan Igoe’s ’04 plan, there will be a booty-cam, a poker table and a big-screen television in the God Quad, Branford’s party suite, next year.

But first he has to get into the God Quad.

Igoe and seven other Branford juniors are one of two groups bidding to live in the God Quad next year.

While any group of juniors is eligible to apply for housing in the God Quad, this year is the first in recent history that more than one group is vying for the prestigious housing. Branford students have been participating in a two-day vote which ends tonight to decide which group of soon-to-be seniors will win the right to throw parties for the residential college. Both groups have engaged in a fierce campaign over the past week in an effort to win the votes of their fellow residential college classmates. It seems neither side was ready to go down without a fight.

David Barthwell ’04, a member of the other group hoping to call the God Quad home next year, hosted a room party on Friday.

“We wanted to get our names out,” Barthwell said. “It was promotional.”

Igoe, in Monday’s issue of Branford’s weekly newsletter, the Carillon, told students why they should vote for his group as opposed to the other group, which he termed the “Rod-Quad.” Also included was a floor scheme with the planned additions.

Barthwell said he was startled when he received the Carillon.

“It was very unexpected,” he said. “It was done in good fun, but it was a serious move that we had to respond to. Some of the claims they made are not feasible.”

Barthwell e-mailed Branford students with a carillon of his own, which included spoof plans for a putting green, a money pit and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Barthwell said his group has a dynamic that would be a perfect fit for the God Quad.

“We’ve all been good friends and have a good thing going on,” Barthwell said. “We’re just fun people.”

But Jesse Gurman ’04, a potential God Quad suitemate of Igoe’s, begged to differ.

“We want parties to be good as opposed to what they would be,” Gurman said. “We think we’ll do a better job. There is not a whole lot to it. We think we have a strong connection to the Branford community.”

Barthwell said the competition between the groups is good-spirited, but emphasized that it is indeed competition.

“We both very much want be in the God Quad next year,” he said. “There is no malice between the two groups. It’s all friendly, but it’s serious.”

Dow Tang ’05 agreed that the process of choosing next year’s God Quad has long-lasting consequences for the social life of the college.

“I think it’s an extremely vital part of Yale life,” he said. “All of Branford should take it as seriously as [the potential God Quad inhabitants] do.”

But many Branford students said they are indifferent.

“I view the two groups the same,” Christopher Palma ’05 said.

Jonathan Herczeg ’03, who currently inhabits the God Quad, said he has no preference for who will take over his room next fall. But he also said he enjoyed the candidates’ enthusiasm.

“It’s always fun to have an election,” he said. “We haven’t had one since Branford was renovated in 1999-2000.”

Beyond indifference or impassioned campaigning, many Branford residents said they enjoy the pure “entertainment value” of this election.

“I got a laugh out of the e-mails,” Kim Schinnerer ’04 said. “I don’t care who gets it, but the campaign is definitely over the top.”