Free Rides to Polls Offered by Many Groups Around WI

On Election Day groups across the state will offer free rides to people trying to get to the polls.

In Milwaukee, Citizen Action of Wisconsin is holding their phone bank at St. Francis of Assisi Parish. On Monday night volunteers continued to schedule rides for people calling in. 

The group is expecting to have more than 100 volunteer drivers out on Tuesday. Hundreds more people are expected to use their services.

Shirleen Givens is the coordinator of both riders and drivers on election day. She works through a stack of complex spreadsheets with handwritten notes. But she is not overwhelmed, she said.

She calls Tuesday 'an extension' of their early voting push.

"Right now we're kind of backed up because we have so many volunteers, so many drivers - and the calls are coming in," Givens said.

"So right now I'm helping the call bank by responding to the voice messages that we've received. So I'm helping them do some of the calls," Givens said.

Other businesses are using Election Day as a promotion.

Zipcar is offering up its 20 Milwaukee vehicles for free to users from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. - targeting voters late in the afternoon.

And Bublr Bikes - all day Tuesday - will give people an unlimited number of 30 minute rides if they enter the code "1776" during check-out.

The effort made by Citizen Action of Wisconsin, however, is more actively engaging voters directly.

"A lot of people think 'Oh, that's them people calling from voting again'. No, we care about the people and we've built that relationship with them," Givens said.

"Not only do we want to get them to the polls - they start telling us 'Well, you know, my car just broke or I've been on the bus the last few weeks or I'm sick and I can't really get around that good. They're talking to us because we're talking to them," Givens said.

To contact Citizen Action of Wisconsin for a free ride to the polls on Election Day call 414-909-2016. Rides are available from 7 am to 8 pm.

Also, to get a clear view of all free rides being offered in your area on Election Day, look at this extensive list compiled by Common Cause Wisconsin.