Dodge City offers free rides to polls after moving only polling place outside city limits

Dodge City, Kan., will offer free transportation on Election Day to take voters to the city’s only polling place, which is currently inaccessible by public transportation.

In a Facebook post in English and Spanish on Tuesday, Dodge City Mayor E. Kent Smoll said that the Dodge City Public Transportation system will provide door-to-door rides as needed.

“Our citizen’s accessibility to exercising their most fundamental right of voting is our utmost concern,” Smoll wrote.

{mosads}The majority-Hispanic city had faced accusations of voter suppression after relocating the only polling place to outside of the city limits, citing construction at the old location.

The city of 27,000 has a Hispanic population of 60 percent, but has historically had low Latino voter turnout, compared to the national average.

Smoll’s post indicated that the city agreed to provide rides to voters upon the announcement of the polling place’s relocation. The mayor noted that officials “continued to receive inquiries and statements implying that our community voters are being suppressed.”

Latino activist group Voto Latino announced earlier this month that they are partnering with Lyft to provide free rides to Dodge City voters.

Voters wishing to use the free transportation have to schedule their ride in advance, according to Smoll’s post. The city is also providing early voting at the Ford County Clerk’s office. Voters can also request mail-in ballots.