October 19, 1998
Decision '98 A Big "Hit"

CLEVELAND, OH - If nearly 40,000 average daily "hits" on the Ohio Roundtable's new 1998 voter information on-line service is any indication, Ohioans are apparently very eager for non-partisan information about the candidates running in the 1998 elections.

Decision '98 is averaging nearly 40,000 "hits," all within the first two weeks of activation. Decision '98 is published by the Ohio Roundtable, which has been providing issue and candidate information since 1980. This is Ohio Roundtable's first voter information service available on-line. It is accessible at www.decision98.org.

This on-line expanded service details candidate survey information on all races for the General Assembly, the US Congress, the US Senate, and all statewide races including the Supreme Court, and the state school board.

Visitors to the Decision '98 web site are logging on from as far away as Venezuela. Feedback indicates appreciation for its accurate, thorough review of candidates and issue stances among users including history students, persons who travel or are out of town frequently, and individual citizens looking to make an informed vote.

Ohio Roundtable President Dave Zanotti said, "We are delighted with the response. We believe it will soon top 100,000 hits per day. Ohioans are definitely interested in positive, non-partisan voter information. Decision '98 is a great alternative to negative campaign ads-and it's free to all Ohioans."

In addition to publishing candidates' positions and opinions, Decision '98 allows voters to communicate interactively with candidates and even obtain a list of statewide candidates' political contributors. And by simply entering a zip code, voters can obtain data regarding their own district races to customize their use of the website and create a personal sample ballot to print out and use on election day.

The Ohio Roundtable is a non-profit, non-partisan education and research organization dedicated to restoring traditional principles to public policy. The Roundtable has led successful voter registration and information projects reaching millions of Ohioans since its founding in 1980. In addition, the Roundtable has led ballot initiatives such as term limits and campaign finance reform and, most recently, the successful campaign against the proposed state sales tax increase on the May 1998 ballot. The Roundtable is supported solely by charitable contributions raised primarily from individual citizens, families and corporations.

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OCTOBER 29, 1998 - VOTERS TURNING OFF TV ADS, LOGGING ONTO OHIO ROUNDTABLE NON-PARTISAN DATA