A way exists to help you vote smart

To the Editor:

Every election season we hear and read advertisements in which candidate A says that candidate B is lying. Then in the next one it's just the opposite. They all sound sincere and credible so, unless we choose to vote a straight party ticket, we're left to wonder who's telling the truth.

Personally I prefer to vote for the best candidate rather than for a party affiliation. One resource I use to help me sort it all out is called Vote Smart, a non-artisan group of students and volunteers from all over the country who have put together a massive factual database on politicians.

Vote Smart keeps track of candidates' voting records, biographies, public statements, positions on issues, who gives them money and how much. You can even find the ratings done by over 200 competing special interests on what's not.

Anyone who's interested can find information at www.votesmart.org or at their toll-free telephone 1-888-VOTE-SMART. For those who use the telephone, a researcher will look up anything you ask to know.

Gail Webber

Poplar Bluff, Mo.