Various organizations across Northwest Indiana will be offering rides to polling locations to help voters cast ballots in the upcoming election.
Everybody Counts, the National Organization for Women of Northwest Indiana and the NOW Foundation have partnered to create the “Ride ‘N’ Roll to the Polls” program, which provides free, accessible transportation for people with disabilities and seniors to voting locations, according to a press release. release.
The program will have accessible vans and other vehicles available to allow voters with disabilities in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties to get to the polls for early voting and on Nov. 5, Election Day, the North’s chairwoman said. Western Indiana, NOW, Julie Storbeck.
The Rutgers University Disability Research Program projects that 40.2 million people with disabilities will be able to vote in November, representing a 5.1% increase since 2020 and double the 2.5% increase. of the number of eligible voters without disabilities.
Looking at voter demographics, there are more eligible voters with disabilities, including mobility, cognitive, hearing and visual impairments, than eligible voters who are Hispanic, 35.7 million, or black, 31. 1 million, according to Rutgers University. About 7 million eligible disabled voters live in the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Everybody Counts Executive Director Teresa Torres said the organization’s goal is to ensure that everyone in Northwest Indiana who wants to vote can do so.
“Everybody Counts has always encouraged people to make sure their voices are heard,” Torres said. “With so many critical issues at stake, people need to implement what we call the power of the disability vote. »
To reserve a ride through the Ride ‘N’ Roll, voters can call (219) 769-5055 or email jstorbeck@everybodycounts.org.
The Gary Public Transportation Corporation, in partnership with the Northern Indiana chapter of The Links, Inc. and AARP Indiana, will offer free public transportation service on Election Day, November 5.
All fixed routes and transfers, as well as GPTC’s Access 219 paratransit service, will offer free rides from 5 a.m. to 9:20 p.m., according to a press release. Any passenger heading to the polls will not be required to present documents or purchase a bus pass, according to the release.
The City of Valparaiso will offer free intracity V-Line bus rides on Election Day to encourage voter turnout and community engagement.
“Transportation should not be a barrier to participating in elections,” Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas said in a statement. “We want to encourage our community to participate in government at the local level and beyond. »
Kamala Harris’ Northwest Indiana seat in Gary will host a “Kamala Karavan to the Polls” Saturday, which is the first Saturday of early voting in Northwest Indiana, according to a press release.
The caravan of about 20 cars will depart from Kamala Harris’ campaign headquarters in northwest Indiana, at 1520 Broadway in Gary, and travel down Broadway to the Gary Public Library at 220 W. 5th Avenue .
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton will host a Greater Gary Day of Action Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, 3401 W. 5th Avenue in Gary. The rally will feature speakers including U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge and State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, among others, followed by early voting and canvassing, according to a press release. on the Monday before Election Day with 11 polling locations in Lake County and seven polling locations in Porter County.
For more information on times and locations, visit https://www.porterco.org/1111/Early-Voting for Porter County and https://tinyurl.com/4s34d8a8 for Lake County.
akukulka@post-trib.com
