WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/05/08) - One week after unveiling The Official 2008 Presidential Mask PollSM, BuyCostumes.com, the world’s largest e-tailer of costumes and accessories, is ready to release initial results. Votes are based on the number of orders of candidates’ masks by customers. Within the last 24 hours, Hillary Clinton has pulled ahead of Barack Obama – she’s leading with 51 percent of the votes to his 45 percent. Republican Party totals show Ron Paul in the lead by 53 percent to John McCain’s 22 percent to Romney’s 15 percent, and Mike Huckabee’s 5 percent. It's not known yet whether the purchase of masks will accurately reflect the outcome of the real election tallies.

BuyCostumes.com created masks for Rudy Giuliani and John Edwards who have since dropped out of the race but, due to their popularity beforehand, they have captured 5% and 4% of the votes respectively.

Given that BuyCostumes.com just launched this poll last week, results are expected to change daily as the general public votes by visage and uses the masks as the Millennium’s answer to the 80s bumper sticker.

The Democratic race is close, with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama trading the top spot on a daily basis.

The Republican contest is far more decisive—and uniquely so. Ron Paul’s lead above other Republicans in this poll clearly demonstrates that his supporter’s are early adopters of web and viral marketing principals—a great way to reach young voters.

BuyCostumes.com expects other candidates and their supporters to jump on board, as this is an easy and fun way to show support throughout the primaries and on through next fall.

“Consider these results an early sampling,” said Jalem Getz, CEO of BuyCostumes.com. “For professional and amateur politicos around the world who want to track results daily, we created a downloadable website widget to go live on Super Tuesday at BuyCostumes.com/PresidentialMaskPoll which will allow anyone with a website or Facebook page to see and showcase tallies in real-time.”

In 2000, BuyCostumes.com uncovered a very unusual trend: their sales of presidential candidates’ masks foretold the outcome of the election. Monitoring and tracking each sale of a candidate’s mask in the 2000 and 2004 elections, BuyCostumes.com 100% accurately predicted the outcome of both elections. In 2004, George Bush masks took 53% of the “votes” to John Kerry’s 47%, and in 2000, George Bush led by 57% compared with Al Gore’s 43%.

This year, the more official polls have had trouble tracking candidates’ progress in the race for the White House so BuyCostumes.com has jumped to the sidelines six months earlier than usual to help predict the outcome.

Custom paper masks have been created by the company to track the following candidates: Republicans Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney; Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. (Although they have withdrawn from the race, masks were also created for Rudy Giuliani and John Edwards and can still be purchased by true supporters.) These masks will be available exclusively at www.BuyCostumes.com/PresidentialMaskPoll for $0.99.

As we near the conventions, and as campaign frontrunners emerge, BuyCostumes.com will also offer custom latex masks of the frontrunner candidates. One mask purchase equals one vote.

“These masks are a lot of fun and an inexpensive way for people to show their support. I feel strongly that once again our poll will ultimately be the most reliable. After all, we’re the only poll that has so far been 100% accurate,” commented Getz.

Getz adds, with a smile, “We’ve joked that this may be the only way an election can be bought! The more masks you buy the more votes your candidate gets.”