Since today is Election Day, it only makes sense that we offer some news from HeadCount, the voter registration group co-founded by Andy Bernstein and Marc Brownstein. This week the nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization announced that it has hired a fulltime executive director and will begin paying modest, performance based stipends to the leaders of local and regional voter registration street teams. Applications are being accepted through a volunteer sign-up link on www.headcount.org.

The development follows the appointment of former Time Warner Inc. Vice President of Corporate Relations Virginia McEnerney as HeadCounts first executive director. McEnerney, who once ran Time Warners philanthropic programs, first came in contact with HeadCount through her husband, veteran scene-scribe and author of The Phish Book, Richard Gehr.

Having Virginia as executive director really takes HeadCount to the next level, says Bernstein, who will remain an unpaid volunteer. She brings incredible experience, credibility and expertise to what we are doing.
Bernstein noted that HeadCount will remain a volunteer-driven organization, and that most of the thousands of street team representatives will not be paid and simply join the organization out of love for music, community and democracy. But, Bernstein emphasized that stipends of up to $1,000 will be offered to local and regional street team leaders who show the strongest commitment to the organization. Were looking for the most reliable, dedicated and capable people in the live music scene to be our leaders in 2008, he said in a statement. Since 2004, HeadCount has registered close to 60,000 voters and expects to register at up to 200,000 more over the next 12 months. For more on HeadCount, please read the organizations monthly column on Jambands.com .