Will Vote For Airfare To Iceland (and concert ducs)

City Page's "Best Villian" of 2004 is certainly living up to his name:

David Strom, CityPages' 2004 "Best Villain of the Year" and President of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, today charged that the weekly newsmagazine is probably violating federal law with a promotion they are running at the State Fair.

Part of the CityPages "Young Voter Project" is chance at a trip for two to Iceland and tickets to a 5 day music festival in exchange for a promise to vote this November, or in exchange for registering to vote.

TITLE 42 , CHAPTER 20 , SUBCHAPTER I-A , Sec. 1973i, subchapter C (how?s that for a mouthful?!) of the United States Federal Code specifically prohibits paying or accepting payment for voting, or registering to vote. Violating that law could result in a $10,000 fine and/or 5 years in jail.

The CityPages promotion sure appears to violate the law, and the Secretary of State should look into ending the promotion before the feds swoop in and jail the staff of that fine weekly.

"I'm sure that CityPages has nothing but the finest intentions, but there is little question that their promotion violates federal voting laws. I hope that Secretary Kiffmeyer intervenes before the FBI does!" said the "Best Villain of 2004," David Strom

"At least they aren't giving cigarettes away for voting as happened in Wisconsin!" Strom quipped.