CINCINNATI -- Deciding which candidates to support can be the easy part of an election; that’s if you can get to your polling location.
For some registered voters, a number of factors can get in the way of casting a ballot: juggling the kids, a late bus or a car that won’t start.
We’ve all been there.
Transportation problems kept about 3 percent of people from voting in the 2016 elections, according to the Pew Research Center. About 14 percent of people surveyed said they were too busy to vote. An illness or disability was the main reason for not voting for 12 percent of people.
Let’s say you’ve missed the deadline to request an absentee ballot and need some help getting to the polls -- here are some groups, organizations and companies that want to help.
Souls to the Polls Drive
The Delta Gamma Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. and Cincinnati NAACP will help eligible voters cast an early ballot in Hamilton County by providing free rides. The Souls to the Polls Drive is from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 3, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Nov. 4.
Call 513-318-8332 or 513-281-1900 to schedule a ride to the Hamilton County Board of Elections in Norwood. Have your name, address and phone number available for the volunteer drivers.
Free child care
Any parent or guardian hoping to vote on Election Day without nagging kids can stop by a YMCA of Greater Cincinnati location listed below. The YMCA is offering a free child watch for children ages 3-12 from 3-6:30 p.m. on Nov. 6. The service is limited to two hours and parents are required to fill out a registration form.
The child watch service is available at the locations below:
- Blue Ash YMCA, 5000 YMCA Drive, Cincinnati
- Campbell County YMCA, 1437 Ft. Thomas Ave., Ft. Thomas, Kentucky
- Carl H. Lindner YMCA, 1425B Linn St., Cincinnati
- Clermont Family YMCA, 2075 James E. Sauls, Sr. Drive, Batavia, Ohio
- Clippard YMCA, 8920 Cheviot Road, Cincinnati
- Gamble-Nippert YMCA, 3159 Montana Ave., Cincinnati
- Highland County YMCA, 201 Diamond Drive, Hillsboro, Ohio
- M.E. Lyons, 8108 Clough Pike, Cincinnati
- Powel Crosley Jr. YMCA, 9601 Winton Road, Cincinnati
- RC Durr YMCA, 5874 Veterans Way, Burlington, Kentucky
- Richard E. Lindner YMCA, 2039 Sherman Ave., Norwood, Ohio
- Y at Duck Creek, 5040 Kingsley Drive, Cincinnati
A little help from technology
The ride-sharing service Uber will offer some free rides and discounts on Election Day in partnership with #VoteTogether and Democracy Works. A polling place locator will be available through the app as well.
Uber will offer $10 off a single ride to the polls. To take advantage follow these steps:
- Download the most recent version of the app.
- Enter the Election Day code in the app (the code will not be made available until Election Day).
- Request a ride using the polling place locator in the Uber app.
The service Lyft will offer Election Day discounts as well. Lyft plans to give away a 50 percent off promo code to its partners including Vote.org and TurboVote.
Click here to access the Lyft promo codes now. Users will see the codes in the app on Election Day.
BONUS: Voting rights protection
Anyone who encounters a voter related issue at a polling location is encouraged to call 866-687-8683. The Delta Gamma Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. is working with Election Protection to provide the hotline.
There are specific phone numbers for voters requiring Arabic, Asian and Spanish translations:
- Arabic: 844-418-1682
- Asian: 888-274-8683
- Spanish: 888-839-8683
Early voting in the Nov. 6 election is well underway. Click here for everything you need to know about voting in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, assuming you registered.
