Many of the bylines, especially the early ones, belong to campus figures known both for their letters to the editor and op-ed pieces. While that's not a huge problem, the creators do need to be careful about offering one-dimensional attitudes. Rice says the site has snagged writers from Dartmouth College, the University of Pennsylvania, and even a high school student. But the outreach needs to continue, and the GWU insiders must take a backseat. With sponsorship from MTV, televised town forums featuring actual candidates, and a bus that tours the country and allows writers to get to know their audience, Choose or Lose won't be giving up the youth-vote throne anytime soon.
Rice hopes to make it an enduring business by signing up corporate sponsors.
Fortunately for the crew, the site doesn't cost much to run. Getto, who is a GWU junior, also saved money by developing a rapport with other political sites and persuading them to let GenerationVote use some of their features. Despite its flaws, GenerationVote was well worth the visit. But as a GWU alumna, what captivated me most was the drive and resourcefulness of its creators. It remains to be seen if Rice and Getto will make an imprint on the 2000 election and beyond.