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Need to Get to Your Polling Place? These Companies Offer Reduced Or Free Rides!

by Beth

After the last post I wrote advocating that everyone with a disability make sure to get to the polls and be seen voting rather than voting absentee was published, I found myself feeling a little sheepish. Here’s why: I didn’t take it into consideration that many people with disabilities live far away from their polling place, and it can be difficult to get a ride there. I live right across the street from my polling place! All I need to do to get there is give my Seeing Eye dog the “Forward!” command. My last post failed to acknowledge that few people with disabilities have it that easy when it comes to getting to their polling place.

When I heard about Uber and Lyft’s respective announcements about offering free or reduced rides to polling places, you can imagine my excitement.

The ride to vote logo with a checked box in place of the O

c/o Lyft

Lyft announced back in August that they’d be offering 50% discounts and free rides to people who face significant obstacles to get to the polls on November 6, 2018. In their announcement Lyft pointed out that “an estimated 15 million people were registered but didn’t vote in 2016 because of transportation issues,” and that statistic is what motivates them to offer free or discounted rides to voters.

And now Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has announced that on November 6, 2018, the company will partner with #VoteTogether and Democracy Works to provide free rides to the polls, too. A quote from Khosrowshahi explains:

“At Uber, we want to do our part, too–by helping voters register and get to the polls on Election Day.

Using our technology and resources, we can help make it easier for every Uber rider in the U.S. to get to their polling place at the push of a button. We’re also partnering with nonprofit organizations to register voters before state deadlines and provide free rides to the polls on November 6.”

Uber will also be inserting a “Get to the Polls” button inside its app on Election Day to help voters find their polling place and book a ride. Huge thanks to Lyft and Uber for going the extra mile to support our democratic process.


 

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  1. Michelle Hoyt Says:

    November 1st, 2020 at 12:09 pm

    Election day is November 3rd! Not the 6th!

  2. Laura Smith Says:

    October 29th, 2020 at 11:09 am

    I am almost 60 yrs old, receiving SSI Disability, and have no transportation. I desperately need a very early ride to my voting precinct. Can anyone help me? I will definitely pay you gas money. Thank You