Rock the Vote reaches out to America’s youth

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The key to mobilizing young voters this fall could be in their bags, pockets and purses: their cell phones.

MTV’s Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan youth voting group that prides itself on being cutting-edge, is hoping to harness wireless technology to boost young voters’ election turnout this fall.

Text messaging via cell phones is becoming a powerful campaign tool around the world. During recent elections in South Africa, nearly 200,000 people used text messaging to register to vote. In Iran, parliamentary elections were a mobile-phone battleground, with dueling political parties text-messaging voters.

“Countries around the world are using wireless technology in the election process,” said Jehmu Greene, executive director of Rock the Vote, which with Motorola launched Rock the Vote Mobile. “We should be leading the way.”

Text messaging – think of it as instant e-mail by phone – is growing in popularity in the United States. Most major wireless companies began offering it in 2002. In 2000, about 750,000 people used text or short messaging systems (SMS). That’s expected to mushroom to 47 million users in 2004, with much of the growth fueled by young people.

Short messaging systems allow users to send short missives and receive instant replies. Users can sign up on Rock the Vote’s Web site, which will allow them to participate in weekly polls, find information about the candidates and, come Election Day, locate their polling places. Rock the Vote can send potential voters election-related information, as well. For example, people who registered on the Web site will receive reminders to vote as Election Day draws near.