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    1. Management

    TX: Want a free trip to the polls? METRO is giving free rides to Harris County voters

    Oct. 23, 2024
    Harris County voters can get a free ride to the polls thanks to a partnership between Houston city leadership and the region's public transit organization.

    By Caroline Wilburn

    Source Houston Chronicle (TNS)

    Harris County voters can get a free ride to the polls thanks to a partnership between Houston city leadership and the region's public transit organization.

    Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced his partnership Tuesday with METRO Chair Elizabeth Brock and other community groups to provide free rides to the polls Oct. 25 through Nov. 1 during early voting and on election day, Nov. 5.

    Riders must show their voter ID or other approved documentation to take advantage of the free service, which includes local busses, METRORails, METRORapid, METRO curb2curb and METROlift.

    The rides will run to and from the 88 early voting locations across Harris County, and the 700 polling locations open on Election Day.

    With over 2.6 million registered Harris County voters, turnout was strong Monday on the first day of early voting in Texas. There were over 125,000 in-person voters, according to the Harris County Elections Department. Monday's turnout fell just behind 2020's record of roughly 128,000 voters.

    Brock and other community leaders joined Whitmire at a press conference Tuesday to discuss voting resources available to Harris County residents.

    Whitmire spoke about the importance of voting and encouraged all Houston-area citizens to access the city's voting resources. He reminded voters that their vote will decide who the city partners with on political matters and during future disasters.

    "These are life and death decisions that these elected officials will make," he said. "Look at the choices you have and go vote."

    Brock said the mayor approached her last week with the idea to provide free rides to the poll. Beyond helping voters get to the polls, Brock said the partnership is an opportunity to increase ridership across the organization.

    "We encourage everybody to not only take advantage of this free service, but also encourage you to always think about riding METRO," she said.

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