PHOENIX ARIZ. April 8 2002 – The State of Arizona and Smackdown Your Vote! today announced they will hold a High School Smackdown Your Vote! day on May 9 during National High School Voter Registration Month to encourage every high school in Arizona to register students to vote.

Arizona Secretary of State Betsey Bayless World Wrestling WWE Superstar Bradshaw and World Wrestling personality Coach made the announcement today at Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix Arizona. A second rally will be held in Tucson tomorrow at Canyon del Oro High School.

Arizona is the first to announce its day. Other states including Alabama California Connecticut Hawaii Kentucky Minnesota Vermont and Washington are expected to announce similar events later this week.

Smackdown Your Vote! is providing 50 college scholarships to those students who plan and implement the best voter registration initiatives in their respective high schools. (More information can be found at www.smackdownyourvote.com) WWE Entertainment a partner in Smackdown Your Vote! is funding the scholarships.

The speakers urged young people in Arizona and around the country to register to vote and participate in the 2002 elections as a way to show the strength of America’s democracy.

"Democracy is built on a simple act: voting" said Bradshaw. "For our democracy to remain strong we need to encourage our young people to participate in the political process through voting. We need to take that message to the places where young people are – so that it is relevant to them. That’s what we are trying to accomplish through this effort."

"Now is a perfect time for our young people to send the message to the world that democracy is stronger than ever in the U.S.A. and that our way of life will not be deterred by terrorism."

The first phase of the Smackdown Your Vote! 2002 campaign is a combination of voter registration outreach scholarship incentives and opportunities for involvement focused on reaching students in 12 000 high schools in all 50 states as part of "National High School Voter Registration Month" in May. Later in the year Smackdown Your Vote! will focus on rallies at live events and college campuses.

High school seniors and juniors are still needed to help organize programs at high schools and can register to become Smackdown Your Vote ambassadors at www.smackdownyourvote.com.

Smackdown Your Vote! founded in July 2000 is a partnership of nonpartisan organizations created to encourage young people to register and then vote. The members of Smackdown Your Vote! are the National Foundation for Women Legislators National Association of Secretaries of State Project Vote Smart Youth Vote Coalition Close Up Foundation/ First Vote Youth-e-Vote California Vote America and WWE Entertainment Inc. Smackdown Your Vote! has registered more than 200 000 voters since its inception holding events in more than 28 states and the District of Columbia.

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Media contact:
Gary Davis
WWE Entertainment
203-353-5066

Kate Cox
WWE Entertainment
Phone: 203-352-8630

Warren Whitney
Deputy Secretary of State
Phone: 602-542-0681
Pager: 602-215-7726