Lyft launches voter transportation initiative

Ride-hailing service Lyft announced it will offer discounted rides, bikeshare and scooters on Election Day, an initiative designed to increase transportation access for voters, according to a press release.

“Lyft believes transportation access should never be a barrier for any citizen seeking to vote. Our Voting Access Program reflects our commitment to being a force for good, and we’re proud to encourage riders and drivers to exercise their fundamental right to vote, regardless of income, zip code, or political affiliation,” Lyft Chief Policy Officer Jerry Golden said in the release.

Lyft plans to offer a 50 percent discount to customers who use a certain code, which will be valid from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. in every time zone, on Election Day rides to the polls, the release said.

Lyft will also partner with TV personalities Serena Page, Kordell Beckham and Sasha Colby to encourage voters to head to the polls in November.

According to the release, Lyft has already helped more than 3 million people vote this year and has pledged to increase its rides to the polls by 25 percent. Lyft has an overall goal of increasing voter turnout by 500,000 new voters by 2028.

According to the data provided by Lyft, ride distances to the polling centers are longest in Texas, Georgia and Mississippi, with each ranging between 5.3 miles and 5.8 miles. Rides are shortest in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C., with each ranging from 2.8 miles to 3.1 miles.

In Illinois, voters wait the longest in lines at 61 minutes, the report showed. The next two longest wait times were in New Jersey and Nevada, at 58 minutes apiece. Shortest wait times were in Minnesota at 27 minutes, Michigan at 33 minutes and North Carolina at 34 minutes.

The report also revealed a 20 percent increase in rides to poll-like locations on Election Day in Georgia and a 12 percent increase in key battleground states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.