And although the most recent poll from the Harvard Institute of Politics, in April, found that college students favored Senator John Kerry over President Bush by about 10 points, the Republican Party says it is not concerned.

Christine Iverson, a spokeswoman at the Repulican National Committee, said, "We support any and all efforts to get more people involved in the political process."

The nonpartisan campaigns are trying to carve a new place for voting in youth culture, said Ana Marie Cox, who writes the political Web log called Wonkette.

"They're trying to give voting cultural cachet," Ms. Cox said of vote marketing in general. "Like it gives you social capital in the same way that buying a Britney Spears album or getting a tattoo does. But the problem is, voting isn't ever going to make you seem cool." [NY Times] Speak for yourself, stupid bitch: voting equals participation and the sharing of power - what isn't cool about that?

Have I mentioned I despise this idiot, and I am extremely resentful when she is held up as representing bloggers? She is a rent-a-flak sitting on top of one of asshole Denton's porn-and-politics sites. She is the whore, he is the madam.

Back to the story:

To that end, the image of Ms. Aguilera, with her mouth sewn shut in ribbon, and the other celebrities will also appear as ads in magazines aimed at young people, including Fader, Interview, Rolling Stone and Us Weekly. Other ads feature performers like Amber Tamblyn, the star of "Joan of Arcadia" on CBS, and La Toya London, a finalist on the third season of "American Idol." The spots directed by Mr. LaChapelle include parodies of makeup and pet food commercials before turning a sharp corner to depict the sealing, bolting or muzzling of stars' mouths.

...."This is based on the same research that has been borne out on Madison Avenue, that if you get young people buying a Chevrolet, they're going to stay in the General Motors family," Mr. Lear said. "The same thing is true of voters: if you get them to vote the first time early, the chances are far greater they will be lifetime voters."

I had an avowed communist poli sci professor in college who said you could speak your voice most loudly by NOT voting, as by not voting you were rejecting the entire system. It sounded stupid to me then and only more so now.