If "digital government" and "digital politics" are ever to achieve their potential, the first step toward a politically involved citizenry, registering to vote, should be available online. As it happens, a partnership between WorldCom, America Online, the Close Up Foundation, and the American Association of Retired Persons, is making it possible this year. With technical support from Capitol Advantage, this partnership has launched BeAVoter.org, a web page where eligible citizens can key in their location, fill out a form online, and get registered to vote.

BeAVoter.org has already registered 55,000 new voters this year, and is intensively marketing its unique service during the National Convention season. AARP is helping make sure its vast membership of seniors and near-seniors knows about this opportunity, and BeAVoter.org is conducting extensive educational efforts among young, first-time voters, with a boost from personal involvement by musician and talk-show host Queen Latifah.

Good as it is, BeAVoter.org is just an interim step toward full-fledged online voter registration. Once a potential voter fills out the appropriate form online, BeAVoter.org prints out and mails a paper registration form which the customer must sign and mail in a pre-addressed envelope. States need to take a hint from the popularity of this service and make it possible to directly register online with a digital signature. Then perhaps states will follow the logic of digital government and give citizens the full monty: online voting.