2 million new voters by '04 election?

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Hip-hop artists ranging from Reverend Run-DMC to Eminem are calling on young people to smack down their votes in the 2004 Presidential election.

The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) are joining forces under the name "Smack Down Your Vote," and aim to get 2 million more 18-to-30-year-olds to register for next year's presidential election.

"Both WWE and hip-hop appeal to a broad cross-section of young Americans," said Vince McMahon, Chairman of WWE. "I can only imagine what the combination of sports entertainment and hip-hop will do to attract the interest of younger voters in the 2004 elections."

The registration of young voters has become increasingly important in presidential elections as their number has dropped by roughly one-third since 18-year-olds got the right to vote in 1972, according to statistics from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

"We want to reverse the process where old people are the only ones who vote," said Russell Simmons, chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.

But this goal may be more difficult than it appears, according to Michael McDonald, an assistant professor of government and politics at George Mason University in Virginia.

He said that a person's tendency to vote is usually linked to community ties -- ties often lacking among youths. "Young people aren't anchored to their community like older people are."

Simmons said the lack of attention politicians give people ages 18 to 30 is another reason for the poor turnout of young voters.

"We want to talk to young people's issues," Simmons said. "We want to get candidates to recognize young people. We want to engage the youth. I would urge all the political parties and candidates to take the 18-to-30-year-old vote seriously in 2004."

The "Two Million More in 2004" campaign will sponsor rallies at universities and high schools across the country as well as public service announcements and Web sites to promote voter registration.

"It's (2 million) a big goal, but it's definitely attainable," said Veronica De La Garza, executive director of the Youth Vote Coalition. Her group is one of the many non-profit and non-partisan organizations engaged in the project.

McDonald, the professor at George Mason, was more cautious. "It's a pretty ambitious number," he said, estimating that it would be at least 1 percent of the overall electorates. "But it would be great to have 2 million more young voters."

Conventional wisdom holds that an increase in voter registration, especially among the young and minorities, tends to help Democratic candidates. But McDonald said this is not necessarily true.

"These types of people tend to go Democratic. But they're persuadable. They're not anchored in a partisanship, so I wouldn't discount Bush in being able to persuade them."