The League of Women Voters has set up "The Democracy Store" to offer Salt Lake-area voters a chance to try out a voting machine and obtain voting information.

"It's mainly to inform voters," said Sandra Peck of the League of Women Voters. "More people are likely to participate if they know what they're doing."

The information is located in one of the retail store spaces on the north end of the main floor of the Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 E. 400 South. Up until the mail-in deadline, volunteers were helping to register more voters. Now, their emphasis has changed to encourage political involvement.

Nancy Melling, a member of the league, has volunteered her time to help more people understand the voting process. She said it has been an effective way of teaching voters what they need to know to take part in the voting process.

"We hope to get the democracy working like a democracy and have a larger percentage of the population voting, and voting from a basis of knowledge - knowing who their candidates are and what the initiatives are about," she said.

The exhibit contains voter guides and pamphlets, district maps and locations of polling places. Nonpartisan video clips about the Patriot Act and the suffrage movement also play in the background to help voters stay abreast of the political process.

"Our goal is to enable citizens to participate in this year's election," Melling said.

wleonard@sltrib.com

For more information

l The store will be open to voters and those interested until Election Day.

l Additional information can also be found at various Web sites sponsored by the League of Women Voters, including http://LWVutah.org and http://Dnet.org. Utah voters also are encouraged to visit http://www.voteutah.org for local voting information.