Metro To Offer Free Rides On Election Day; Ballot Drop Boxes Added To Stations
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Metro will offer free service on Election Day, Nov. 3, and vote-by-mail ballot drop-off boxes have been placed at 19 rail and bus stations, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials announced Thursday.
The free service applies to rail and bus lines.
Meanwhile, Union Station and El Monte Station will be used as official vote centers from Oct. 24 through Nov. 3.
The voting center at Union Station will be located in the ticket concourse in the west (Alameda Street) side of the station, Metro officials stated.
"The health of our democracy depends on our participation, and we have to do everything possible to empower Americans to exercise their fundamental rights," Los Angles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti said. "From free rides on Election Day to new places to drop off a ballot, Metro is doing its part to make sure nothing stands between Angelenos and their ability to vote."
The following Metro rail and bus stations will have vote-by-mail ballot drop-off boxes:
- El Monte Station and Union Station; El Monte Station can be reached via the J Line (Silver) and Union Station by the B (Red), D (Purple), L (Gold) and J (Silver) lines
- B and D lines at North Hollywood, 7th Street Metro Center, Hollywood/Western, Vermont/Santa Monica and Wilshire/Vermont stations
- E Line (Expo) at Expo/Vermont, La Cienega/Jefferson and Downtown Santa Monica stations
- A Line (Blue) at Willow and Willowbrook/Rosa Parks stations
- L Line at Mariachi Plaza, Union Station and Sierra Madre Villa station
- C Line (Green) at Aviation/LAX, Harbor Freeway, Willowbrook/Rosa Parks and Norwalk stations
- J Line at Harbor Freeway, and Harbor Gateway Transit Center stations
- G Line at Sepulveda Station
"We want to make it easy for people to reach the polls or vote by mail and cast their ballot this election," Metro CEO Phillip Washington said. "Democracy works best when everyone participates in it and has a voice, and we want to ensure that voting is easy and accessible to all those who rely on the Metro system."
The Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerks' office will provide one-day mobile vote centers set up at various Metro rail and bus park-and-ride lots between Oct. 24 and Nov. 2.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)