Though the Cookie Monster may not have a voter-registration card, MassVOTE’s annual contest to choose the 2008 “Best Cookie in Massachusetts” would have given him a taste of the democratic voting process.

The non-partisan voting rights organization invited state legislators and cookie enthusiasts to the State House yesterday to “enjoy a taste of democracy” in an attempt to raise awareness of the upcoming Massachusetts primary on Feb. 5.

Cookies from a number of Boston-area bakeries, including Mike’s Pastry, Greenhills Irish Bakery and Maria’s Pastry shop, were invited to participate in the best cookie election.

The event was planned to “symbolize democracy and encourage healthy democracy,” said MassVOTE member Louisa Pena, who distributed cookie ballots.

MassVOTE said they hope events such as the cookie election will encourage political activism among the city’s thousands of college students, a demographic which historically has the lowest voter turnout.

Greenhills Irish Bakery co-owner Cindy Quinn said the event was a way to encourage voter participation but also an advertising opportunity for the participating event.

“MassVOTE is doing this to raise awareness and it’s a good effort,” she said.

Massachusetts House of Representatives research director Anthony Degregorio was one of the many State House members who turned out for cookie tasting.

“[You say] ‘free food,’ and the buzzards are out,” he said.

Degregorio said although the crowd was mainly made up of State House members, all attendees enjoyed the benefits of voting in the cookie election.

He said he expects high voter participation in the upcoming national election cycle due to most voters’ feelings on the Bush administration and hopes they will realizing voting brings about change.

No cookie was selected as the clear “Best of Massachusetts” because not enough people paid attention to the cookie ballots and some cookie submissions had been left out longer than others, Degregorio said.