STAMFORD, Conn. – July 15, 2004 – The University of Virginia Center for Politics, Close Up/First Vote, George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management, and the National Council of LaRaza are the latest organizations to endorse The 18-30 VIP, a national voter issues paper for 18-to 30-year-olds issued by Smackdown Your Vote!®, a project designed to encourage youth participation in the democratic process. The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery's Paul Peck Presidential Initiative also announces that it will work with these organizations to increase young people's awareness and civic participation in this election year.

The 18-30 VIP covers issues important to younger voters as determined by research conducted by various organizations, including Harvard University, was submitted to both major political party campaigns. Organizations that participated in preparing the VIP are World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., the Harvard Institute of Politics, MTV’s Choose or Lose, the League of Women Voters, Rock The Vote, New Voters Project, Hip-Hop Team Vote, 18to35, Declare Yourself, and Youth Vote Coalition.

To date, President George W. Bush, Sen. John F. Kerry, and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek have responded to The 18-30 VIP. Their full responses are posted at smackdownyourvote.com, the League of Women Voters DNet website, and 18to35.org. Other elected officials are expected also to commit to respond to the VIP.

The goal of the Smackdown Your Vote VIP partners is to increase voter participation among 18-to 30-year-olds by two million in this year’s elections in order to get 20 million young voters to the polls. “The candidates for President, federal office, and state office, by formally responding to the issues that are of greatest concern to young Americans, demonstrate their interest in these potential voters,” said Gary Davis, Executive Director, WWE® Smackdown Your Vote! “This should encourage 18-to 30-year-olds that their votes will count in November.”

”The Center for Politics applauds the efforts of Smackdown Your Vote! to connect young Americans with the political process,” commented Lea Brown, Director of Initiative, University of Virginia Center for Politics Youth Leadership Initiative.

Christopher Arterton, Dean of the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University stated, "Getting young people to participate in election politics is the best long term solution to strengthening the American democracy and improving our public policies for the future."

Smackdown Your Vote!, founded in July 2000, is a non-partisan approach to getting young people involved in the political process and voting. Through Smackdown Your Vote!, WWE has collaborated with many non-profit, non-partisan organizations to engage 18-to 30-year-olds in the political process, including the League of Women Voters, Youth Vote Coalition, Rock The Vote, Harvard Institute of Politics, MTV’s Choose or Lose, New Voters Project, 18to35, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, Close Up and the University of Virginia Center for Politics. The collaborative program’s goal is to get 20 million 18-to 30-year-olds to the polls in 2004, an increase of two million over the election turnout in 2000. In addition to conducting voter registration at WWE live events, Smackdown Your Vote! visits high schools and colleges across the country conducting voter registration rallies. For more information, go to smackdownyourvote.com.

Media Contact: Gary Davis, Executive Director, WWE Smackdown Your Vote!,
203-353-5066

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