November 1, 2000

November 1, 2000

$10,000 Reward for Getting Your Friends to Vote:

MoveOn.org Activists Drive VotePledge.org Effort to Reverse "Vanishing Voter" Trend.

San Francisco, CA -- VotePledge.org, a get out the vote effort spearheaded by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and "MoveOn.org" activists Wes Boyd and Joan Blades, today announced that it would offer a $10,000 reward to the individual who can get the most friends, family members and colleagues to pledge to vote this November 7th. Specifically, the reward money will go the individual who can spur the most people to sign a "I pledge to vote" promise posted at http://www.VotePledge.org. To jump start the effort, VotePledge.org sent an email to hundreds of thousands of Internet activists today, informing them of the onset of the competition.

"In 1998, voter turnout was only 42%," said Wes Boyd, co-founder of MoveOn.org "We must do better, and with the power of the Internet -- we can do better. That is why we have begun our VotePledge.org effort, and why we have offered $10,000, provided by the MoveOn PAC, to the citizen who can do the best job of convincing others of the importance of voting."

The VotePledge.org pledge -- posted at www.VotePlege.org -- is a simple one, reading, "I pledge to vote on November 7th. I will also encourage and support my family, friends, and colleagues in doing the same." Voters who sign the pledge will be reminded of their promise via email in the days leading up to the election, and will be encouraged anew to get others to pledge as well. A similarly simple petition posted during the impeachment crisis, "The Congress must immediately censure the President and moveon to pressing issues facing the nation." resulted in over half a million signatures and millions of communications by email, phone and in person by MoveOn members.

"Too much is at stake for citizens to be complacent," said Joan Blades, also a co-founder of MoveOn.org "The presidential candidates have substantially different approaches to environmental issues, choice, education and taxes.

Their leadership for these next four years will have repercussions for the next forty years. Likewise the Congress will aid or obstruct the next president leading our country. Each of us must stand up and be counted!"

About VotePledge.org

VotePledge.org is a non-partisan, online "get out the vote" campaign. Based on word-of-mouse, VotePledge.org is designed to help counter apathy about voting. Through a simple, non-partisan, confidential pledge, individuals can voice their commitment to democracy, and encourage their friends and colleagues to participate in the democratic process. VotePledge was started by Joan Blades and Wes Boyd, two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, as a public service. Through their experience starting another political website, MoveOn.org, Joan and Wes have developed a strong understanding and appreciation for the power of the Internet to support democratic participation.

About MoveOn.org

MoveOn.org is an Internet-driven advocacy group which supports the effective political participation of average citizens. The website, begun by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, Wes Boyd and Joan Blades, has inspired 500,000 on-line Americans to lobby Congress and more recently served as a conduit for more than $2 million in contributions to congressional campaigns across the nation.