Online Voter Registrations Plays Key Role in First "Internet Conventions"

Americans Urged To Point, Click and Register on
www.BeAVoter.org

WASHINGTON - August 2, 2000 - With the national political
conventions underway and deadlines for registering for the 2000
election drawing near, a national online voter registration initiative,
www.BeAVoter.org, today called on every unregistered American to take
advantage of the first "Internet convention" and register to
vote online. BeAVoter.org has registered thousands of Americans so far
this year -- a trend that organizers hope will lead to increased voter
turnout in November.

www.BeAVoter.org, sponsored by AARP, AOL, and WorldCom, Inc. in
cooperation with the Close Up Foundation, is a non-partisan, non-profit
web campaign aimed at increasing voter participation by making
registration as easy as point, click and register. The website was
created and is maintained by Capitol Advantage.

To date, www.BeAVoter.org has registered more than 55,000 Americans.
Since the start of the GOP convention, the site has seen its own
"convention bump," in the pace of online voter registration.

"This year's conventions are really a coming of age event
for the Internet," said Kathleen deLaski, Director of Political
and Government Programming for America Online. "This new medium is
reshaping the way that Americans engage in the political process -
allowing users to research the candidates, personalize the convention
viewing experience, chat with experts and other users, and give instant
feedback on the issues they care about. Perhaps the most exciting thing
about this year's Internet convention is how this medium is being
used to help disenfranchised Americans reengage in the political
process. Through BeAVoter.org's online voter registration efforts,
registering to vote has never been easier."

To register using BeAVoter.org, a user simply visits the website,
selects their home state and fills out the corresponding online form.
Within 5-10 days, a paper copy of the completed registration form
arrives in the individual's mail, awaiting official signature. The
individual signs the form, mails it in using a pre-addressed envelope
provided by BeAVoter.org, and the process is complete.

"WorldCom has been promoting online voter registration efforts
as far back as 1996, and we've come a long way. With the
proliferation of the Internet, we have seen incredible interest in
online voter registration," said Bradley Stillman, WorldCom's
senior policy counsel. "We are extremely gratified that our
efforts have helped increase participation in the democratic
process."

In order to vote in the upcoming election, voters must register
before their individual state registration deadlines - which range from
October 8th to November 7th. Sponsors have been working to encourage
civic, political, and interest groups to link their sites to
BeAVoter.org - to increase voter turnout, especially among their
members.

"AARP will continue to encourage Americans of all ages to register
on the BeAVoter.org site, " said Molly Daniels, Director of
AARP's Voter Education Program. "We've just embarked on a
coast-to-coast campaign to promote voter participation in the 2000
elections. The AARP Voter Express bus will be stopping in 23 cities
between the two political conventions."

The BeAVoter.org mission is to use the online medium to register as
many new voters as possible. The organization has its roots in the
nationally recognized NetVote 98 and NetVote 96 national voter
awareness programs. BeAVoter.org was endorsed by the National
Association of Secretaries of State and in May sponsored "National
High School Voter Registration Week" at high schools across the
country to communicate the importance of voter registration to
America's youth.

"All age-eligible high school students should graduate with a
diploma in one hand and a voter registration card in the other,"
said Steve Janger, president, Close Up Foundation. "Through the
collaborative effort of BeAVoter.org, we hope to help youth access the
means to become involved, voting citizens."

AARP is the nation's leading organization for people 50 and
older. It serves their needs and interests through information and
education, advocacy, and community services which are provided by a
network of local chapters and experienced volunteers throughout the
country. The organization also offers members a wide range of special
benefits and services, including Maturity Magazine and monthly
Bulletin.

WorldCom (NASDAQ: WCOM) is a global leader in
"all-distance" communications services with operations in
more than 65 countries. Revenues in 1999 were $37 billion, with more
than $15 billion from high-growth data, Internet and international
services. WorldCom provides facilities-based and fully integrated
services to facilitate e-business and e-commerce in the digital
generation.

Founded in 1985, America Online, Inc., based in Dulles, Virginia, is
the world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet
technologies, and e-commerce services.

The Close Up Foundation is the nation's largest nonprofit,
nonpartisan civic education organization. Since 1971, Close Up has
promoted responsible and informed citizenship participation in the
democratic process. Through its government study visit programs,
award-winning publications, video productions and national television
programming, the Close Up message reaches millions annually.

Capitol Advantage is the global leader in the area of politics and
the Internet and has partnered with the nation's leading media,
portal, association and corporate organizations, including four out of
the five most highly trafficked Web sites.