<< WASHINGTON (AP) - At least three Internet sites that arranged vote trading between Al Gore and Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader have closed down following complaints from California officials. >>
<< One Gore congressional aide arranged a swap through his House e-mail account and admitted Tuesday that it was a mistake to use the government system. >>
<< The sites sought to have Nader supporters in the states where the Nov. 7 vote was expected to be close vote for the vice president. In exchange, Democrats would agree to vote for Nader in states where Texas Gov. George W. Bush was expected to win. >>
<< California elections officials contacted Jim Cody, the Los Angeles site operator who set up Voteswap 2000 and informed him he was violating state law. >>
<< "We never had any idea we were in violation of any laws. As soon as we were informed ... that we were in violation we shut the thing down," Cody said in an interview. >>
<< In the site's short life, more than 5,000 matches were arranged between last Thursday and Monday night, he said. >>
