How to get your Vote Smart manual

If at first you don't succeed, dial, dial again.

That or go online.

Those are the two best suggestions Press editors and Project Vote Smart volunteers could come up with after a number of readers complained Friday.

Readers said they had read Friday's editorial, "Cast an informed vote," which recommended calling Project Vote Smart for a free booklet that offers comprehensive information on candidates for federal office. But some callers couldn't get through.

According to Project Vote Smart volunteers, the switchboard was busy all day with calls for the booklet, "Voter's Self-Defense Manual." But because the nonprofit is staffed by volunteers and has only one toll-free line, busy signals or even "out of service" messages were received by some callers.

Solution: Because the phone line is very much intact, try, try again. The number is 1-888-VOTESMART (1-888-868-3762).

Better still: Go online and place your order for the free booklet, providing your name and physical address. The address is: request@votesmart.org