Some transit companies are trying to make it easier for voters to get to the polls for the midterms on Election Day — offering rides for free or at a discount to encourage people to cast their ballots.
Lime — the short-term electronic bike and scooter rental company — said it would be providing riders with free trips to Bronx polling precincts Tuesday. The offer includes two free rides on any Lime e-scooter of up to 30 minutes each way to and from the polls with the promotional code LIMETOTHEPOLLS2022.
Bronxites will have the opportunity to cast their votes for multiple candidates and ballot measures — with the governor’s race at the top of the ticket, as well as contests for seats in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and New York State Senate and Assembly.
According to Lime, this is the third election year the company has implemented its “Lime to the Polls” initiative to reduce transportation barriers for eligible voters. More than 800 Bronxites rode to the polls during last August’s primary, according to previous Bronx Times reporting.
“We are proud to once again partner with the City of New York and NYC Votes to encourage our Bronx neighbors to participate in their democracy by making it easier to get to and from the polls,” said Nicole Yearwood, Lime’s senior manager of government relations. “We look forward to continuing to support civic engagement in New York City in the years to come.”
Lime is one of three companies participating in the two-year Bronx e-scooter pilot, which launched last summer in the northeast Bronx and expanded this summer in the southeast Bronx. The devices can be rented off the sidewalk using the e-scooter companies’ apps and used only within the pilot zone.
Lyft, the ridesharing company, is also offering discounted rates tomorrow to help close the transportation barrier gap.
According to a release, the company will be offering a 50% discount of up to $10 off both its rideshare program and for Citi Bike trips. According to a Tweet from Lyft, the promotional code will be automatically applied on Election Day.
⚠️ PROMO CODE DROP ⚠️
Enter code VOTE22 in your Lyft app for 50% off (up to $10) your ride to the polls on election day 🗳️ pic.twitter.com/b7uUiRZfDP
— Lyft (@lyft) November 1, 2022
Early voting, which was signed into law by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo back in 2019, started on Oct. 29. According to unofficial data from the New York City Board of Elections more than 39,000 Bronxites cast their ballots during this year’s early voting period.
To find your polling place, visit https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
Reach Camille Botello at cbotello@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
