The President of PVS, Richard Kimball, ran for Barry Goldwater's Senate seat in 1987 against John McCain.

Recognizing this void in American civic culture and the need to create a new organization, 40 national leaders, including former Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, formed Project Vote Smart (PVS) in 1992 and is financed by donations of its more than 45,000 members and by grants from private foundations.

In 1999, Project Vote Smart established its headquarters and reserach center at the Great Divide Ranch, in the Rocky Mountains, near Philipsburg, Montana. The Great Divide Ranch is a 150 acre expanse at 6000' elevation and surrounded by mountains. The ranch provides beautiful views of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness . The ranch was established by taking advantage of the Homestead Act

The Ranch boasts an up-close, spectacular view of the Continental Divide, heavily populated with moose, elk, and other wildlife. The mountains, lakes, rivers and trees provide opportunities for hiking, skiing, world-class trout fishing and other outdoor adventures by simply stepping out the door.

Project Vote Smart is kept alive by its members, who contribute financially as well as by donating their time by being member interns for a two week stay at the ranch. National Interns are typically college students from across America, but some may hail from abroad. National interns must live on the ranch and work 40 hours a week for 10 weeks, but schedules are flexible. The bottom line is that National interns must contribute 400 hours of work over the summer.

PVS accepts on average 40 students each summer as interns. Summer internships are fairly competitive, but spring and fall internships are less competitive. National interns are awarded the Barry Goldwater scholarship, which pays for the room and board of each intern for the ten weeks they are at the ranch.