Michael Lettera recently launched his very own "rock the vote" campaign.

Three years ago, Lettera established Just Vote, a grassroots, non-partisan, get out the vote campaign and, earlier this year, he received logo/trademark status. According to the Westbury resident - the timing and need for Just Vote couldn't have come at a better time with the 2008 presidential election just weeks away.

Lettera told The Westbury Times that the idea for Just Vote first came to mind after both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were extremely close in terms of individual votes cast. According to the Federal Election Commission, over the past 20 years, only 35 to 55 percent of eligible voters nationwide actually participated in federal elections with the comparable national average just over 43 percent. And, said Lettera, a Census Bureau report determined that New York State has one of the lowest turnout rates in the country with only 36.6 percent of registered voters actually casting votes in the 2006 congressional election.

"At best, just over half the registered voters in the U.S. actually go to the polls in federal elections. The rate is typically lower for state and local elections," he added. "A major portion of U.S. residents do not participate in the electoral process and therefore are essentially 'silent' when it comes to matters that impact them at the local, state and federal levels."

Determined to see those numbers increase, Lettera developed the Just Vote website, www.votestrong.us, and logo, incorporating the image on T-shirts he shared with friends and family members. In September 2005, Lettera applied for trademark registration through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office via their online application process. The application was assigned to an "examiner" in March 2006 and, in 2007, he filed a Statement of Use, which outlines use of the trademark in commerce, which was accepted in March 2008. In April 2008, he received official notice that the Just Vote trademark registration was approved.

According to Lettera, Just Vote is a completely non-partisan effort aimed, specifically, at increasing voter awareness and participation, particularly amongs three audiences: eligible voters who are not registered; registered voters who do not vote; and young people who are not yet of age to register and vote (in an effort to raise their awareness of the importance of voting).

"The [site] is dedicated to encouraging all eligible voters to register and vote," said Lettera. "[The] goal is to make sure you 'just vote' [because] the more people who vote, the stronger we will be as a nation."

At www.votestrong.us, you can access links to Republican candidate Senator John McCain and Democratic candidate Senator Barak Obama as well as the Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty. Additionally, links to the United States Department of Justice Voter Rights, the Federal Election Commission, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and the National Mail Voter Registration Form, among others, are also available.

In no way does the Just Vote campaign or website, said Lettera, persuade voters to elect one candidate over another. "My mission is to encourage eligible voters to educate themselves on the issues, register to vote and go out to the polls regardless of their personal views," said Lettera. "I have no interest in steering anyone toward or away from a particular party, candidate or cause. Voting is a very personal matter."

He continued, "When more people vote, our country is stronger ... Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, a Green Party member or Independent, the most important thing you can do is to participate in the electoral process."

For more information on Just Vote, the 2008 presidential election or to purchase Just Vote merchandise, visit www.votestrong.us or email Michael Lettera at votestrong@aol.com.