Celebs recruit new voters as registration deadline looms.

Hollywood has gone viral. In a four-minute video circulating YouTube, MySpace and Facebook, actor Leonardo DiCaprio says he does not want Americans to vote. SuperBad’s Jonah Hill wants to know “Who gives a s*** about the economy? I don’t care: I got so much money!” And Halle Berry would rather you sit at your desk than get up and register.

Call it reverse psychology– as the deadline to register to vote in the heated November election quickly approaches.

“Any person, any organization that encourages people to participate in voting is extremely helpful in the upcoming election,” says Linda Tulett, Monterey County registrar of voters.

The group behind the online video is Declare Yourself, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization aiming to engage youth in the democratic process. It’s the same people who devised an ad showing Jessica Alba wearing a Hannibal Lecter-esque muzzle, tears streaming down her face. “Only you can silence yourself,” it reads.

“Hollywood has brought a tremendous amount of political awareness for the 20-to-28 age bracket,” says Katherine Dolbec, executive director of the county Republican Party, “and it is important that those who are reached actually register to vote.”

With registration deadlines looming– Monterey County residents must register by Oct. 20– newly registered voters may prove crucial in the upcoming election.

Locally, registration personnel are working overtime to get community members involved. According to the California Secretary of State, of the county’s 233,410 eligible voters, only 64.21 percent are registered. This is less than the number of Monterey Countyites who were registered to vote in the ’04 election in which President Bush won a second term. Of the 149,866 locals who are registered to vote, projections suggest only 60 percent will actually vote.

Declare Yourself intends to up this percentage– with a little help from a few famous friends.

Watch the video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=olpCyDA4kYA.