WESTMINSTER | The Regional Transportation District is offering free rides to the civic-minded during this election season.
The agency, in collaboration with the Colorado County Clerks Association, is offering Zero Fare to Vote to encourage voter participation in the upcoming general election, according to a RTD news release.
RTD bus and train service will be available at no cost on Tuesday, Oct. 29, National Vote Early Day; and Tuesday, Nov. 5, Election Day.
Zero Fare to Vote removes a cost barrier for people on RTD services who want to cast their ballot, say agency officials. RTD’s Board of Directors approved Zero Fare to Vote as a permanent fare change earlier this year, the news release states.
“Providing RTD customers with systemwide zero fare transit to access polling places was well received when introduced in 2022,” General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson said in the news release. “This year and in subsequent general election years, registered voters can rely on RTD to deliver them to any polling place throughout the district to exercise their constitutional right to vote.”
“Colorado does everything we can to make it easy for eligible Coloradans to vote,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold adds in the news release. “I’m proud that RTD is offering zero fare days to encourage people to cast their ballots. This program is another way that Colorado is reducing barriers to the ballot box.”
National Vote Early Day is a nonpartisan day of celebration encouraging voters to cast a ballot. In Colorado, voters in the Denver metro area can use RTD services to vote in person at Vote Centers/Voter Service and Polling Centers or return their mail ballot to any official drop box. Colorado voters can return their mail ballots to any county clerk drop box or vote center regardless of what county they live in, the news release states.
“I’m grateful that RTD is supporting voter participation in such a concrete and meaningful way,” Boulder County Clerk and Colorado County Clerks Association President Molly Fitzpatrick said in the news release. “Providing zero fare days not only supports those who face transportation and financial burdens, but it also increases public awareness about opportunities to vote early to ensure last minute emergencies won’t stand in anyone’s way of casting a ballot
Colorado voters can find their nearest ballot drop box or voting center by visiting GoVoteColorado.gov, and use RTD’s trip planner and click the “Vote” icon to find the best route to a designated drop box or polling location, the agency says.
Customers can further filter the trip planner results by selecting “Drop Box”, “Early Voting” and “Open Now.” To find the desired voting or drop box location, customers can then click the “Plan Trip” button, the news release states.