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How to get a free ride to the polls in Duval County

A free ride to the polls is a phone call away at 904-859-5911 or 904-859-7833.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — If you missed the boat on voting early, it's now time to ask yourself this: Have I made a plan to get to the polls Tuesday?

You probably live a busy life and may work in a completely different part of town than your polling place. Volunteers in Jacksonville are solving that for you, wherever you are.

A free ride to the polls is a phone call away at 904-859-5911 or 904-859-7833. These numbers reach drivers from churches and local groups collaborating with Jacksonville's NAACP. They will be stationed in seven parts of Duval County and will be dispatched to pick you up.

"Election Day we'll have vans lined up here, vans over there," said Rev. Lee Harris, state director of the African American Ministers Leadership Council of People for the American Way.

Harris says they will have 21 vans and each one will carry up to three passengers at a time. Drivers have extra masks, snacks and bottled water for the ride.

This means there can be up to 63 people getting a free ride from them at any given time on Election Day. Your party affiliation doesn't matter.

In 2016, President Trump won Duval County by fewer than 6,000 votes.

"The beauty of this whole process is to see all ages, new voters, 18-year-olds and seniors, people with disabilities," said Rev. Joseph Simmons, a driver.

Every day during early voting, the drivers met to go over what and how they did the day before.

"Some of them are disenfranchised, some depressed," Simmons said about the people they transport. "But the thing is there's hope. So we're here to establish hope and know that it's okay and we'll make sure that they get to vote because all votes matter."

Uber and Lyft are offering discounted rides. Lyft is offering 50% off one ride up to $10 to any polling place or ballot box. Use the promo code 2020VOTE.

Uber is offering 50% off roundtrip rides to and from the polls, up to $7 each trip or up to $14 for the two trips. Find a ride through their poll finder to get the discount. 

RELATED: Duval County sees record early voting turnout

RELATED: When do polls close on Election Day? A guide to voting times in all 50 states

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