Voting education on wheels

Shoppers at a Gurnee supermarket Monday could have picked up information about political candidates with their milk and eggs.

About 80 visitors dropped by Project Vote Smart's 45-foot bus, which was parked outside the Jewel-Osco at Grand Avenue and Hunt Club Road from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Project Vote Smart is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office. The organization's red, white and blue bus made Gurnee a pit stop as it headed from Chicago to Milwaukee.

Most visitors to the bus Monday in Gurnee wanted information about presidential and congressional candidates, said Project Vote Smart spokesman Jeremy Clemens. He said roughly 25 would-be voters hopped aboard the high-tech bus to view a video and research candidates on computers.

Clemens said the organization's "Voters Self-Defense" manual that was distributed outside the Jewel-Osco provided unbiased information about political candidates of all stripes.

Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik arranged to have the bus stop in her village after hearing about it from a Woodland Elementary District 50 board member. She was among the visitors Monday.

"I was thrilled," Kovarik said. "I was so impressed with the bus and the message they're trying to get out. One of my pet peeves is voter apathy."

No one can be on Montana-based Project Vote Smart's board of directors unless there is a political opposite. Project Vote Smart refuses funding from political action committees and corporations supporting or opposing candidates and issues.

Project Vote Smart attempts to keep tabs on elected officials and candidates in categories such as issue positions, voting records and campaign finances.

Representatives from the Lake County clerk's office registered new voters on the bus.