DES MOINES, Iowa – AT&T and Rock the Vote will announce plans to use mobile technology throughout 2008 as part of Rock the Vote?s national campaign to register and engage two million young adults.

The announcement comes amidst Rock the Vote?s Iowa Rock the Caucus program, which is designed to build on recent increases in young voter turnout by mobilizing young Iowans to participate in the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses.

Rock the Vote and AT&T will announce the partnership at a mock caucus for 300 Iowa high school students. Democratic and Republican Party representatives will teach students ? all of whom would be first-time caucus-goers ? how to participate in the caucuses by holding mock caucuses at the high school auditorium.

AT&T and Rock the Vote?s campaign will communicate and engage ?Generation TXT? in their native tongue through several mobile applications, including cross-carrier text message opt-in lists for election updates and reminders, exclusive celebrity ring tones, young adult text polling, student journalist reports and event sponsorships.

The announcement comes as presidential campaigning intensifies in the run up to the critical Iowa Caucuses. Any person who will be 18 by Election Day in 2008 is eligible to participate in the Jan. 3 caucuses. That means nearly all 17- and 18-year-old high school students are potential caucus-goers, making them among the most politically powerful young people in the country. Given that young adults under 30 increased their voter turnout by millions in both the 2004 and 2006 elections, this age group ? including these first-time voters ? is a key bloc to watch in 2008.

WHEN: 8 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 19

WHERE: Indianola High School, 1304 E. First Avenue, Indianola, Iowa

(15 miles south of Des Moines)

WHO: Heather Smith, Executive Director, Rock the Vote ? young voter trends, power of young voters, engaging young adults in the political process through mobile technology, partnership with AT&T

? Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, Executive Director of Wireless Marketing, AT&T ? youth and mobile technology/cell phones trends, engaging young adults in the political process through mobile technology, partnership with Rock the Vote

? Iowa high school students ? their role in the upcoming Iowa Caucuses and general election, their opinions of campaigning efforts in Iowa

? Iowa Secretary of State Michael Mauro ? role of young adults in upcoming caucuses

? Democratic and Republican party representatives

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