FC: Voter.com becomes Voter.gone, closing down immediately

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[Sadly for voter.com, there is not that much of a market for such political 
websites, at least outside of an election year. Even the conventions 
resembled more a poorly-attended trade show 
(http://www.mccullagh.org/image/950-12/dem-convention-4.html) than the 
stuff of which excitement is made. I wish the voter.com folks well in their 
new ventures. --Declan]


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                   Contact: Skip Joslin
February 5, 
2001                                                        202.347.8100


Voter.gone

Washington, DC, February 5, 2001

Voter.com, the premier political portal on the Web and one of the most 
viewed websites in the country during the last election cycle, announced 
today that it is closing its doors, effective immediately.

"Over the last two years, we've proven that politics and the Internet can 
be successfully wed," Voter.com CEO Justin Dangel said. "We set out to 
build a fully integrated political communications and consulting company, 
and we succeeded.  Unfortunately financial market conditions worked against 
us."

Voter.com received more than 8 million page views on Election Day last 
year, capping a highly successful foray into online politics.  It was one 
of the most visible presences at the national party conventions this past 
August.

Voter.com promoted a more active and informed electorate by providing facts 
and a range of opinions on political issues and candidates.

"In just over a year, we created a site that was widely praised by our 
colleagues in the mediaincluding being named the nation's top political 
website by Forbes and Business Week," Founding Editor Bob Vanasse added. 
"We broke new ground with every political event in 2000 from the State of 
the Union, to the conventions, to Election Night. The credit goes to the 
impressive team who left numerous other positions to work here. When the 
history of the 2000 election is written, there will be a chapter about 
Voter.com.  We came from nowhere and accomplished a great deal.  We have 
reason to be proud."

Added Dangel: "There is no question the politics-Internet union will one 
day be profitable, and at that time we will take pride in having blazed 
this trail."




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