Volunteer organization CAR2Vote, or Charlottesville Albemarle Rides to Vote, will provide transportation to polling locations for this Tuesday’s midterm election. Founded by University aluma Gail Wiley, who graduated from the College in 1980, the organization is dedicated to the act of voting.
Wiley co-founded the program in 2012 in an effort to streamline the voting process and expand opportunities for local residents to get to the polls. She hopes providing a single number to call would encourage more voters to take advantage of the service.
“Everyone who can vote should be able to vote with the least amount of hassle,” Wiley said.
Ahead of the election, CAR2Vote focused on providing rides to the local registrar’s office so voters could obtain a photo ID — which is necessary after the adoption of a state law requiring voters bring a photo ID to the polls. The registrar allows anyone to receive a valid photo ID if they bring an electric bill or some other proof of identity.
“The idea is to get the voter to the polls with the correct ID,” Wiley said.
The program is entirely run by volunteers and Wiley herself.
“All of us are people who are really dedicated to ‘anyone who qualifies to vote should get to vote, whether their age or disability or inability to drive,’” Wiley said, adding that the program’s success comes from “the generosity of people who are willing to take off a whole day of work.”
Most of the people who used CAR2Vote in 2013 were first-year students at the University. CAR2Vote will run a shuttle from O’Hill to University Hall on election day, leaving every 15 minutes between noon and 7 p.m. Any University student can call CAR2Vote and a driver will come pick him or her up.
Wiley urged students to bring a friend to the polls, both to maximize turnout and as a safety precaution.
“There is safety in numbers,” she said. “My goal is to be able to pair people up in the shuttle.”
Though the majority of volunteers are Democrats, Wiley emphasized that the program is unbiased.
“We are “big ‘D’ Democrats doing a small ‘d’ democratic thing,” Wiley said. “We are taking people to vote no matter who they are voting for. ... I don’t ask my drivers who they are voting for, and they don’t ask riders who they are voting for.”
Due to the large influx of calls on Election Day, Wiley suggests riders call CAR2Vote or fill out the online form before 8 a.m. on the morning of the election. However, she said program aims to provide rides no matter the time of the call.
“You call, we haul,” Wiley said
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