HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The last day to request an absentee ballot in Alabama is this Thursday. If you want to vote in-person, some Huntsville groups are making sure your voice can be heard.
Organizers with 'Lift Our Vote' launched 'Party to the Polls' on Monday. They're using vehicles, such as a party bus, to get people to the Madison County Courthouse.
Hopewell MB Church of New Market is also offering free transportation to the polls. This is for people living in County Commissioner District 1 on Election Day.
The van will run from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. There are two pickup locations: Petty's Place on 136 Petty St. and the M & M convenience store, 323 Butler Rd -- at the corner of Butler and Arnold Road
Free America is also partnering with Lyft to help get formally incarcerated voters to the polls. Between October 24 and November 3, and between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m., Lyft will provide up to a $15 dollar credit with code freethevote. Unused credit will not carry over.
"We are super excited...This program offering to transportation-challenged residents," says Lift Our Vote/Party to the Polls Organizer, Jessica Barker.
Barker and several drivers are ready to roll for the next three days and they say they'll do so with safety in mind. "Everyone will get a thermometer check before they are able to board. We also are requiring that you wear your masks," she says.
"Once you get on board you can pretty much see how we're gonna be spacing out everyone," says Lift Our Vote/Party to the Polls Driver, Kyle Jennings.
Questions about the election or voting? Text them to (256)382-2692
People will be socially distanced with families assigned to every other seat. There's also access to folks who are handicapped. Barker says there's a scheduled route. Once passengers are dropped off, the drivers will wait at St. John AME Church, and when they're called drivers will pick up the group.
Hopewell MB Church will run from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. They will be picking people up from Petty's Place on 136 Petty St. and the M & M convenience store, 323 Butler Rd. Pickup times will be 7:30, 9:30, 11:30, 1:30, and 3:30 pending the amount of time needed at the voting polls. You can call the church at 256-379-3250 for more information.
The Party to the Polls destination is to the Madison County Courthouse where queue lines have been wrapped around the building on Monday. WZDX News asked some voters waiting in line if they've ever seen anything like this.
"No. Mm-mm," says both Penny Chilton, and Jess Brown.
Chilton says it hasn't been like this for her since the '08 election. "The precinct I was in was very, very heavy and I stood in line but it probably be half of what this is," says Chilton.
"The fact that we can only vote in person, at one location at the County Courthouse in Downtown is a reflection is poor administration on my part," added Brown.
However, some folks say they're happy with the turnout. "Was thinking probably maybe, half this, but I'm glad a lot of people came out today to do their part," says voter, Jeremiah Swanagan.
Statewide, so far more than 271,000 absentee ballots have been requested, and more than 206,000 of those have already been successfully returned.
Volunteers with "party to polls" placed magnets on their vehicles with a number to call should people experience problems at the polls.
"They don't know that there is something of that nature available to them. So instead of being turned around at the polls we want them to keep going," says Lift Our Vote/Party to the Polls Driver, Sophia Langford.
Drivers will keep making their rounds until this Thursday. For more information click here.