From Lime to Uber to Hertz: Free and discounted Election Day rides

Election Day is nearly here, and if you haven’t already mailed in your ballot or gone in for early voting, you might need a ride come November 5. 

Here’s a roundup of all the freebies, discounts, and information on getting to the polls that transportation companies are offering.

Micromobility

Lime is offering free rides to and from your polling place to vote early or on Election Day. Riders can use the promo code VOTE2024 to get two free 30-minute rides in the U.S.

Bird and Spin are also offering two free rides as part of their Roll to the Polls initiative. Riders can use the code RockTheVote2024 in the app.

“We believe voting should be accessible to everyone, and this initiative is our way of helping residents overcome transportation barriers to make their voices heard,” a Lyft spokesperson told TechCrunch.

Ride-hail 

Lyft is dishing out 50% discounts (but capping out at $10 — classic) to riders heading to the polls. Users can preload the ride code VOTE24 on or before November 5. And this not only goes for ride-hail, but also bikeshare (like Citi Bike) and scootershare.

Uber is also offering riders 50% off trips (again, only up to $10) to their polling places when they click on the “Go Vote!” tile in the Uber app. The app also helps users find their nearest polling station. 

And on Election Day, Uber Eats is offering 25% off orders up to $15, with a $25 minimum. The offer will last from 6 p.m. local time to 7 a.m. local time on November 6 — you know, in case you need to eat your feelings. 

Car rentals

Hertz is offering one free day for customers who rent two or more days between October 21 and November 5 in “participating neighborhoods.” Drivers can use the promo code 211636 at the time of reservation, and they won’t be able to book convertibles, minivans, or large SUVs. 

Missing from this list is Zipcar, which helped drivers get to polling booths in 2016, but does not appear to have repeated that mission. 

Navigation

Google is once again providing official information about in-person voting and ballot dropbox locations both on Search and on Maps, with the latter showing information about hours and the types of voting offered at specific locations. The information comes from the Voting Information Project, a partnership between state and local election officials and nonpartisan civic organization Democracy Works. 

Moovit has integrated tens of thousands of polling locations from 130 counties across 11 states into its trip-planning app. The app also provides users with quick access to voter registration information and which transit agencies are offering free rides. 

Transit agencies

There are countless transit agencies offering free rides on Election Day — everywhere from Detroit to Des Moines to Durham — so be sure to check with your local authority.

“Free bus rides all day on Election Day will most definitely encourage voter turnout since for many Durham residents, public transit is a practical way to get to the polls. By removing the cost barrier, we hope more registered voters will cast a ballot on Nov. 5 as well as in all future election years,” Derek Bowens, the director of the Durham County Board of Elections, said in a news release.

If we’re missing anything here, feel free to reach out to rebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com so we can update our list!