New App Wants To Help You Get Out And Vote
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A new ride-sharing service offers voters free rides to the polls on Election Day, and they're recruiting volunteer drivers in our area.
It's called "Carpool2Vote."
"We really wanted to create an app that was 100% volunteer-based and free," says Thomas Cook, co-creator of the app.
Carpool2Vote is an app that allows users to sign up for a free "carpool" that provides a round-trip ride to their polling location on Election Day.
"You put in your address and your polling location, and that's simple-- it works," says Cook.
The app, which works nationwide, links riders with nearby volunteer drivers and uses a bar-code authentication system for safety.
Riders can take a photo of the drivers bar-code; the app matches the riders to the correct driver, and the carpool can commence.
"Your vote is your voice-- show you care," says Nicole Wild Merl, co-founder of WomensVote.org, an initiative designed to get women to vote and run for office.
She created the group while she was a graduate student at Northeastern University. She says one of her projects was to create technology that would impact the elections.
"We identified giving people a ride to the polls as something we could take on and utilize technology in exciting and impactful ways to make a difference," she says.
CB3Dreams sponsored the app, and recently launched it nationwide.
"This is 100% women inspired, but it's for everyone," says Wild Merl.
Riders and Drivers are encouraged to sign up now and take the ride on Election Day and, hopefully, start a conversation.
"It's about coming together, making a voice, you knowing you're doing something and being apart of something bigger," says Cook.
Carpool2vote is available for free download in the Apple store. Details available here: http://womenvotes.org/
