Sabato and co-author Glenn R. Simpson of The Wall Street Journal write in Secrets: "Contrary to the belief of some that voter fraud is a thing of the past existing today only in isolated packets, if at all, the evidence ... strongly suggests a persistent pattern of criminal fraud that is well organized and a continuing part of the political culture in some areas.

"The fact that fraud is generally not recognized as a serious problem by press, public and law enforcement creates the perfect environment for it to flourish."

The Voteauction experience certainly leaves little room to doubt that. As Baumgartner observed, Voteauction "Action Teams" now plan to spread their message -- along with the "Empowerment Kits" containing vote-selling bumper stickers, flyers and handbills -- at such prominent venues as the Oct. 3 presidential debate at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.

The Voting Integrity Project's Phillips sees such over-the-top expressions as commentary in itself. Noting that it appeals to a younger, more cynical generation, she does wonder about the mixed message the "Action Teams" spread.

"They see chaos as a legitimate political expression," she said. "If that is indeed what this game is all about, then it's a different animal. Then they may be doing America a tremendous favor -- if they succeed in awakening the country to making the changes in election law that need to be made. But it could also go in just the opposite direction."

For one, she said, Voteauction's logistics leave her highly suspicious.

"You've got a Bulgarian ISP," she said. "Now Bulgaria is not necessarily the friendliest nation to the U.S. Then you've got an Austrian businessman, and there are extreme right-wing elements there. To me, it's an unusual congruence."

Sabato, who himself exposed many modern-day examples of vote fraud in Secrets, found the case of Voteauction alternately dispiriting and comical -- if only in a dark and bitter way.

"That's really incredible," he said, stifling a laugh. "I'm glad it's only 6,000 people. Of course, it's not very well known. Once it becomes better known, I wouldn't be surprised to see that number grow substantially.

"It is an accurate commentary to some degree on the current shape of American politics. Everybody's making money except for the voters. So this way the voters make money too," he said. "But (vote-sellers) have forgotten the literally millions of people in our history who have given their lives to preserve the vote. They've forgotten the civil rights marchers who gave their lives to get the vote, all the women's suffrage workers who gave large portions of their lives to get the vote for women. It's sad in my book."

Although Phillips said some editors and journalists around the country have neglected to cover the Voteauction story so far because they fear it's a prank or a particularly dastardly piece of "guerrilla marketing," it is indeed for real.

"It's another aspect of the Internet that was completely unpredicted and still is," Sabato said. "I just don't think hardly anybody out there knows this is there or would believe that it's there. And that's what the Internet can do.

"There are light forces and dark forces produced by the Internet -- this great new technology that has such potential for good and for ill. Well, here's an example of ill."