(Washington DC – January 17 2001) George P. Bush Billy Baldwin and WWE Superstar and reigning Champion Kurt Angle are among the special guests headlining Friday’s Youth Vote Coalition celebration of youth participation in the 2000 election and the expansion of the Smackdown Your Vote! partnership.

WWE has stepped into the ring to throw the biggest nonpartisan star-studded event during the Presidential Inauguration weekend with more than 4 000 people expected to attend. Proceeds raised at the event will benefit the Youth Vote Coalition the largest nonprofit nonpartisan coalition of over 75 organizations devoted to increasing youth involvement in politics. Partly as a result of the drive by Youth Vote Coalition members including founding Board Member organization Rock the Vote some one million young people registered to vote for the first time in 2000.

The event the Smackdown Your Vote! Celebration will take place on Friday January 19th 2001 at Club Insomnia located at 714 6th St. NW in Washington DC. Tickets to the event will cost $20 in advance and $25 at the door and may be purchased via Ticketmaster at 202-432-SEAT or visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

The Smackdown Your Vote! Celebration will feature an appearance by WWE Superstar and reigning Champion Kurt Angle WWE Lieutenant Commissioner Debra and CEO Linda McMahon. Expected guests include George P. Bush Billy Baldwin and Erica Terry and Gideon Yago members of MTV’s Choose or Lose Street Team. The Smackdown Your Vote! Celebration is being produced by Philadelphia-based celebrity events company Premiere Sports and Entertainment LLC. Sponsors include Washington City Paper DCNITES.com and WHFS 99.1 FM.

"The Youth Vote Coalition is excited that our partners in Smackdown Your Vote! have come together to hold this benefit event for our organization " said Julia Cohen Executive Director of the Youth Vote Coalition. "Other evening parties in the area are expensive black ties events. We think that a lot of younger people will attend the Smackdown Celebration because it’s inexpensive and because they can help raise money for a good cause while having fun."

Founded in August 2000 Smackdown Your Vote! is a partnership of nonprofit government corporate and online organizations working to encourage youth participation in politics. Members of the partnership include the Youth Vote Coalition Project Vote Smart the National Association of Secretaries of State and WWE Entertainment Inc. This past fall the initiative helped to register and bring election information to millions of voters through registration campaign at WWE events at the WWE New York restaurant and through the Web sites of the coalition partners.

CONTACT:

WWE – Gary Davis (203) 353-5066
Premiere Sports and Entertainment – Justin Fine 215-570-2155
Youth Vote Coalition – John Dervin (202) 263-1330