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WWF adds its voice to youth vote drive

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a time when politics can be every bit as rough -- and authentic -- as professional wrestling, World Wrestling Federation stars are banking that their popularity can lead more people to the ballot box in November.

The WWF, whose "Smackdown" specials are among television's top-rated shows, has joined the Youth Vote 2000 coalition in a bid to get some of the millions of eligible voters in their 20s and 30s to the polls. The effort, dubbed "SmackDown Your Vote," has brought about 40,000 new voters onto the rolls since early August, organizers say.

The WWF claims its audience includes about 14 million eligible voters -- about a third of whom are not registered.

"There are many young Americans that are very distant from our political process," WWF wrestler Kurt Angle said.

The nonpartisan registration drive includes Youth Vote 2000, MTV's Choose or Lose and Project Vote along with the WWF. The move follows a pitch by wrestlers The Rock and Chyna to delegates at the Republican and Democratic national conventions in early August.

An unscientific poll by the wrestling federation in July found that the audience is politically mixed, divided roughly into thirds among liberals, conservatives and moderates.

The television wrestling league long known for its over-the-top storylines and characters also has invited both major party presidential candidates -- Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore -- to make their pitches to the WWF audience. The league has invited Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, a former WWF cast member, to moderate the debate.

"With respect to our audience and our concern over inappropriate material for our WWF viewers, we do, however, ask Mr. Gore to keep his public displays of affection to a minimum," Mick Foley, the league's commissioner, said.

Some of those registering for the first time include some of the wrestling federation's top names.

"I normally wouldn't register to vote, but because these issues have been shoved in my face, I'm going 'Hey, these are really important issues and I do need to vote,'" WWF wrestler Lita said.

 
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Wednesday, August 30, 2000


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