On November 8, Americans across the country will have the opportunity to cast their vote for the next president of the United States, and ridesharing companies are doing their part to ensure that voter turnout is as high as possible. So if you’re not voting on on Election Day, don’t say it’s because you couldn’t get to the polls. Uber, Lyft, and Zipcar just won’t believe you.
For starters, Uber has teamed up with Google to launch an in-app feature on November 8 to help users locate their polling locations, then request an Uber to take them there. Moreover, Uber noted, “An in-app message will remind riders that it is Election Day and provide easy access to their polling place before helping them request a ride.” And if you’re a first-time Uber user, the company is even going to give you a break on your ride — with the promotional code “VOTETODAY,” you’ll get $20 off your first ride.
As for Lyft, the transportation competitor will be offering a 45-percent discount on one ride between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. in no fewer than 20 markets. Eligible users will receive an email Sunday evening relating to their discount, which they can find in the app’s Deals of the Week section. And no, you don’t have to be a first-time user to use this code.
Participating markets are Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, New York City, and Washington DC, as well as Orange County, California; Nashville, Tennessee, Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; and Portland, Oregon.
Finally, Zipcar will be making 7,000 of its vehicles free to members on election night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in order to get last minute voters to the polls. This will be the case in “all markets in which Zipcar operates, including hundreds of cities and towns and over 500 college campuses,” the company noted in a release.
“At Zipcar, we know our community of Zipsters are actively engaged in civic affairs and passionate about issues, but may also need quick and easy access to transportation in order to vote. We decided to do our part to #DRIVEtheVOTE by making cars free,” said Andrew Daley, vice president of marketing. “Regardless of political affiliation or sentiment, we believe that voting is a civic duty, and we want to ensure that access to transportation isn’t a barrier to casting a ballot.”
So go vote, America. There are no shortage of ways to help you do it.
