STAMFORD, Conn., Apr 25, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman and Democratic National Committee Chairman Governor Howard Dean share their views on issues critical to voters under 30 in two new podcasts from Smackdown Your Vote! The podcasts and streaming video versions of the interviews can be found at smackdownyourvote.com and on iTunes.
The two-part interviews with Mehlman and Dean focus on issues outlined in Smackdown Your Vote!’s 18-30 Voter Issues Paper (VIP), the national voter issues paper presented by WWE(R) and its Smackdown Your Vote! partners, including the League of Women Voters, the National Association of Secretaries of State, Harvard Institute of Politics and 18to35. WWE Superstar and Political Correspondent Chris Nowinski conducted the interviews. Part I is available today. Part 2 of both interviews will be issued on May 1.
“With all 435 House seats up in November as well as 33 Senate seats, the national party chairmen understand that young adults can have an impact on the elections this November,” said Gary Davis, Executive Director of WWE Smackdown Your Vote!. “We saw an 11 percent increase in voter turnout in 2004 among Americans under 30 – the greatest increase among all groups – and want to ensure this momentum continues going into the 2006 elections. One way to do that is to find innovative ways to engage young adults and candidates for public office in a dialogue on the critical issues for young adults, and these podcasts are a way to accomplish that.”
The 18-30 VIP covers issues important to young Americans of voting age – such as the economy, education, health care, national security/Iraq and motivation/vision. The VIP is based on research conducted by top, national polls and other sources, including the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), the Congressional Budget Office and Harvard University’s Institute of Politics.
Members of the Smackdown Your Vote! network include Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, the University of Virginia Center for Politics Youth Leadership Initiative, George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management, 18to35, League of Women Voters, Close Up Foundation (First Vote), Declare Yourself, PIRG New Voters Project, Rock the Vote, Mobilizing America’s Youth, United States Student Association, Kids Voting USA, APIA VOTE (Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote), 20/20 Vision, Black Youth Vote (a program of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation), Forum for Youth Investment, Generation Engage, Young Democrats of America and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
Smackdown Your Vote!, founded in July 2000, is a non-partisan approach to getting young people involved in the political process and registered to vote. Smackdown Your Vote! undertakes voter registration at WWE live events, visits to high schools and colleges, and provides materials and resources to encourage active participation in their democracy. For information on the program go to smackdownyourvote.com.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
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SOURCE: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
