As this election’s overwhelming political fervor seeps its way into every topic of conversation, social networking systems are urging the nation’s musicians to take a stand as well.
MySpace and Rock the Vote have launched a collaborative voter registration drive, DemROCKracy, in which bands can encourage their fans to register to vote in the 2008 elections using a simple Rock the Vote widget they can embed in their websites, MySpace pages, etc.
As though the gallant cause were not reason enough to participate, though, bands who recruit the most fans win a TouchTunes Rock the Vote play list spot, a Gibson SG Standard Guitar, an SG Reissue bass guitar, and ultimately, the opening performance at Rock the Vote’s Democratic National Convention “Ballot Bash” in Denver, CO.
The drive itself does not aim to promote any one presidential candidate but rather to inspire citizens, specifically America’s youth, to vote in the coming elections. Rock the Vote executive director, Heather Smith, realizes that fusing music with politics realm may be the strategy to do just that: “Now young musicians can play their role in ensuring young people are the political force to be reckoned with in this election and beyond,” she says.
You can create your own DemROCKracy widget to “further the democratization of music,” as MySpace political programmer Lee Brenner puts it, or just register through someone else’s. The drive begins today and ends August 15th. Find out more about the contest at www.myspace.com/rockthevote.
