Vote Smart is gearing up for the general election in November. Candidates in Arkansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, and West Virginia have been mailed their Political Courage Test form and instructions. We give candidates six weeks to return the test, so they have ample time to fill it out.

The first mailing of election season never goes off without a hitch, and this year was no exception. Staff and interns came in early and stayed late to make sure everything was sent out on time. Some of the staff living in town left their houses in the wee hours of the morning just to help! That's a bigger deal than it may seem at first—Philipsburg is 27 miles away from the ranch, and the last 12 miles is a dirt road that is muddy and full of potholes this time of year. That early in the morning, you never know what kind of wildlife you'll have to dodge on the way in to work—hopefully it's not a moose or a grizzly! It's the hard work and dedication of all of our staff and volunteers that allows us to provide you with non-partisan, factual information about your candidates.

Are you as dedicated as our staff to providing voters with factual information? Do you want your candidates to tell you what their positions are on the issues they are most likely going to face if they're elected? If so, you can help us out! Write to your state and Congressional candidates and encourage them to fill out our Political Courage Test.