Shared micromobility operator Lime is giving out free rides across the US to get voters to the polls for Election Day today.
The operator is offering two free 30-minute trips on its shared e-bikes and e-scooters as millions of Americans prepare to vote in the US midterm elections.
It forms part of Lime’s wider ‘Lime to the Polls’ initiative which has reportedly provided more than 119,000 free trips to voters since its inception in 2018. According to the operator, the mission is to increase voter turnout and reduce transport barriers blocking people from attending ballot boxes and polling stations.
“I think that companies that help people move throughout their communities have a meaningful role to play when transportation is a barrier to civic participation,” Emily Salazar, Leader in Social Impact and Advocacy at Lime, told Zag Daily.
Salazar added that the company sees it as a “responsibility” to make alternative transportation options available to voters and to provide them with the information they need to democratically participate.
“We don’t tell people how to vote or what to believe. When we show up in partnership with communities to meet a real need, we help make mobility a more practical part of the local transportation network.”
For this year’s elections, Lime has exclusively partnered with the nonpartisan nonprofit HeadCount which works to register voters and encourage democratic participation through campuses, community events, music and culture. Lime connects riders with HeadCount’s voter registration tools and resources.
“Every eligible voter should have a fair shot at making their voice heard and transportation should not stand in the way,” said Lucille Wenegieme, Executive Director at HeadCount.
“By connecting voters with trusted information and free rides, this partnership helps make civic participation more accessible, especially for communities that face logistical barriers to getting to the polls.”
The initiative is available to participating communities in Lime’s 61 cities it currently serves across the US.
To take part, Lime users should use the code ‘VOTE26’ when they ride. The operator has been offering the free trips since October 27 for early voting and other preparations ahead of official Election Day. That offer concludes today, as millions of Americans head to the polls and Lime seeks to improve transport access and cement shared micromobility in US democratic order.
