Lime, Bublr Will Be Free on Election Day

Bublr Bikes dock at Prospect and Mason. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

It will be easy to roll up to your polling place in Milwaukee on election day.

Dockless electric scooter provider Lime and bike-sharing nonprofit Bublr Bikes will both provide free rides on Nov. 5.

It’s part of a longstanding practice from both entities. Lime reports having provided more than 90,000 free or “low-cost” rides on election days in more than 12 countries. Bublr has made free rides available for several years on election day.

Lime riders will be able to get up to two free rides to or from a polling police by using the code “VOTE2024” in the Lime smartphone application. The offer is already in effect to promote early voting.

Because Bublr operates a dock-based system, its free rides are a bit more wide open. The first 30 minutes of any ride are free on election day. Individuals can take advantage of the offer by downloading the BCycle app, creating a Bublr Bikes account and checking out a bike. Those with questions can call 414-931-1121. The free rides are sponsored by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

“As a community-supported bikeshare, we believe it’s our responsibility to offer free rides to the polls for residents of greater Milwaukee. Having access to a vehicle should not be a factor in casting your ballot; we hope Bublr Bikes can alleviate that burden,” said Bublr Bikes Executive Director Laura Bolger.

Lime is partnering with When We All Vote, Community College Commitment and Vote Early Day on its effort, which includes wrapping some of its scooters with Vote Early Day’s QR codes to direct riders on how to vote.

“During election season we want to make it as easy as possible for riders to connect with the democratic process. Lime to the Polls has been popular for years throughout the country and we are hoping Milwaukee will be one of the biggest cities in the country in terms of people taking advantage,”  said Calvin Elmore, Lime operations manager, in a statement.

Lime’s competitor Spin has previously offered free trips on election day, but has yet to announce any Milwaukee-specific election day promotion.

Earlier this week, Urban Milwaukee reported the city was setting new records for scooter ridership, with nearly 90% of the trips on Lime’s scooters. The soaring ridership is expected to generate the city more than $500,000 in fees in 2024.

The City of Milwaukee also recently received a $1.7 million federal grant to buy new docks and electric bikes for Bublr. A nonprofit operates the system, but the City of Milwaukee legally owns much of the equipment.

A proposal to make the Milwaukee County Transit System free to ride on election day was rejected in early October due to concerns about its legality, effectiveness and political impact.

A number of other free or low-cost operations are also available.

• Souls to the Polls will provide callers (414-742-1060) a free ride, but callers are encouraged to schedule a ride early.
• Uber will provide 50% off rides (up to $10) for voters clicking on the Go Vote section of the website.
• Lyft is also offering a 50% off discount (up to $10) with the use of code VOTE24.

You can find your polling place by visiting the My Vote WI website. Early voting continues through Sunday, Nov. 3. Polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5.