If you live or work near a Citi Bike station and need help getting to the polls on Election Day, you’re in luck.
Citi Bike operator Motivate and the city Department of Transportation are offering free day passes on Tuesday in an effort to encourage voter participation.
“Too many Americans don’t vote because they lack reliable and affordable transportation options,” Motivate spokeswoman Julie Wood said. “We want to make it easier than ever to pedal to the polls this Election Day.”
Three percent of registered voters across the nation said they did not vote in the 2016 presidential election because of issues with transportation, according to the Pew Research Center. A survey conducted by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement showed the same figure to be much higher among the country’s youngest voting demographic, with 29 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds citing transportation as a reason for not getting to the polls.
“Democracies thrive when voting is easy and convenient, two words we always use to describe Citi Bike,” city DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said. “Of course, we encourage cycling in New York City year round, but with this extra incentive to get to your polling place to make your voice heard… New Yorkers will have no excuse.”
New Yorkers looking to snag the free day pass, which would typically cost $12 and includes unlimited 30-minute rides for 24 hours, should enter the code “BIKETOVOTE” in the Citi Bike app, according to officials. The offer is not contingent on the act of voting or on voting for a specific party, according to Motivate.
