One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
You Can Ride LA Metro For Free On Election Day
(Todd Johnson/KPCC file photo)
The midterms are less than two weeks away, and if you need a ride to the polls on Election Day, Los Angeles Metro has you covered.
The agency's board of directors approved a motion Thursday to offer free rides on all its buses and trains on Tuesday, Nov. 6 in an effort to encourage voter turnout.
All @MetroLosAngeles rides will be free on #ElectionDay! The Metro Board just unanimously approved my motion to make voting easier.
— MayorOfLA (@MayorOfLA) October 25, 2018
Every vote counts in this democracy, and we have to do everything we can to help Americans exercise our most fundamental right. pic.twitter.com/7VzuzvHx0k
The county can use all the help it can get. In the 2014 midterms, turnout was a dismal 17 percent.
"In the June 2018 primary election, Los Angeles County saw a voter turnout of just 28 (percent), which is the second lowest of the 47 California counties that reported," the motion reads. "Additionally, studies have shown that minority, low-income, persons with disabilities, and youth voters in particular have consistently lower turnout than average."
The motion was introduced earlier this month by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, county supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Mark Ridley-Thomas, and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, who all sit on Metro's board.
Sponsored message
STUDY FOR THE MIDTERMS: Explore our Voter Game Plan before you head to the polls
The motion cited several other cities that provide free public transit on Election Day, including Houston, Dallas, Kansas City and Tampa.
"The number of transit operators taking this approach continues to grow, and MTA should ensure that it does not fall behind," officials wrote in the motion.
Hey, thanks. You read the entire story. And we love you for that. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you, not advertisers. We don't have paywalls, but we do have payments (aka bills). So if you love independent, local journalism, join us. Let's make the world a better place, together. Donate now.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
