Transportation to Voting Sites

When heading to the polls on Election Day you’re often met by traffic and long lines.

Voter Pat McCarroll said, “There’s no parking space and it was very difficult.”

Voter Herbet Lugo said, “A lot of people and a lot of traffic.”

Many things can keep people from voting, but one of the most common problems is simply getting to the polls.

During the 2020 election a survey by Axios showed that 17.1% of Americans didn’t vote because of either conflicting schedules, an inconvenient voting location, or transportation problems.

That means over 2 million Americans didn’t vote because they couldn’t physically get to the polls.

So, let’s look at the ways South Mississippi is ensuring its residents can vote this election.

There is, of course, absentee and by-mail voting which must be done ahead of time but allows you to vote without physically going to the polls. “I was in the military for 20 years so I had to send absentee ballots. So that’s the other way I’ve voted.”

If you missed the absentee and by-mail deadlines and you don’t have transportation to get to the polls then Lyft and Uber may be able to help.

The two ride share companies announced discounted prices when using their services to vote on Election Day.

Another option is the Coast Transit Authority which offers fixed public transportation routes throughout South Mississippi that can be used to get to voting sites.

So even if you’re having trouble getting to the polls hopefully one of these options can help make sure your vote is counted.