Cincinnati Metro will make bus rides fare-free on Election Day

More than 300 polling places will open the morning of Tuesday, Nov.

3, and the transit agency wants to make sure bus-reliant voters can cast their votes.

KRISTYN -- COME ELECTION DAY,MORE THAN 300 POLLINGLOCATIONS WILL BE OPEN ACROSSHAMILTONCOUNTY.AND FOR METRO BUSRIDERS -- GETTING TO THE POLLSJUST GOT A LITTLE EASIER.WCPOREPORTER PAT LAFLEUR EXPLAINS.CITY AND TRANSIT OFFICIALSGATHERED HERE AT CITY HALLTHIS AFTERNOON TO ANNOUNCEMETRO RIDES WILL BE FREE ONTUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD.THE HOPEIS TO MAKE IT EASY AS POSSIBLEFOR BUS RIDERS TO MAKE IT TOTHE POLLS.CITY COUNCILMAN ANDMAYORAL HOPEFUL P.G.SITTENFELD INTRODUCED ANORDINANCE MONDAY TO ALLOCATEMORE THAN 12-THOUSAND DOLLARSIN CITY FUNDS TOWARD COVERINGMETRO BUS RIDERS' FARES ASTHEY MAKE THEIR WAY TO THEPOLLS NEXT TUESDAY.AMID THEPANDEMIC, METRO FAREBOXES HAVECOLLECTED ABOUT 20 TO 25THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH DAY.SITTENFELD SAID THE CITY'SINVESTMENT TO MAKING THE BUSESFARE-FREE ON ELECTION DAY ISMORE CRUCIAL THIS YEAR THANEVER BEFORE.(SOT) P.G.Sittenfeld/Cincinnati CityCouncil11:32:05 Access andconnectivity, access to healthcare, connectivity to jobs,access to housing,connectivity to educationalopportunities.

Well, accessand connectivity are also keyingredients to democracy andthe democratic process.NOW ROUGHLY HALF THE MONEY TOCOVER THE FARES ON ELECTIONDAY WILL COME FROM THE CITY,AND THE OTHER HALF WILL COMEFROM PRIVATE DONATIONS.WE'VEGOT MORE INFO ON FREE ELECTIONDAY BUS RIDES ON OUR WEBSITE,WCPO DOT COM.FOR NOW,REPORTING FROM CITY HALL, PLWCPO 9 NEWS.