This story was last updated on October 25, 2018.
We're just a few weeks out from Election Day, with a record number of women, first-time candidates, and people of color on the ballots and voter enthusiasm at a record high. But registering is only half the battle to getting these candidates elected. There are a slew of barriers keeping constituents, especially those of color, away from the polls, including inaccessibility to transportation, which was cited as the third most common reason among youth ages 18 to 29 for not voting in the 2016 election.
In an effort to mobilize voters and help them get their voices heard on Election Day, Uber is offering $10 off rides to the polls on the most affordable Uber option available to you in your city (Express POOL, POOL, or UberX, in that order), plus an in-app Get To The Polls button that will help users locate their polling places. And for those who cite transportation as a barrier to voting, Uber is partnering with #VoteTogether and Democracy Works to provide promo codes that will allow voters to book free rides to the polls. Uber is also providing in-app voting resources to riders and drivers via When We All Vote, as well as hosting registration drives at Greenlight Hubs around the country leading up to Election Day. (Though registration deadlines have passed in many states, click here to check if you still have time to register where you live!)
Similarly, Lyft is offering 50% off promo codes on rides to the polls on Election Day, in partnership with Vote.org, Nonprofit Vote, and TurboVote. And for underserved communities, the ride-sharing service is providing free rides through nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations like Voto Latino, local Urban League affiliates, and the National Federation of the Blind.
Most states require employers to give employees paid time off to vote, so be sure to check your state's laws here, as well as this polling place locator so you know exactly where to show up to cast your ballot on November 6. If your eligibility to vote is being questioned once you're at the polls, you should be able to vote using a provisional ballot, and if you encounter voter intimidation of any kind, here's a great resource from the ACLU that details what you should do.