Local community advocacy organization JONAH Justice has helped orchestrate two projects providing free rides to the polls for the elderly and people with disabilities in preparation for the Nov. 5 election.

This is one of several local efforts to increase awareness and voting opportunities for under-represented groups in Eau Claire.

JONAH organizer Lynn Buske said the organization’s main transit initiatives have been the coordination of free rides from volunteers and making Eau Claire’s paratransit, or Abby Vans system free on election day.

“This year being a really heated election season, there was a lot more energy with people wanting to do things and a lot more concern about voter turnout,” Buske said. “I asked a group of other agencies in the area if they do rides to the polls and they all said, ‘No, but I wish it existed.’”

Buske said the volunteer rides program is something that wasn’t available in Eau Claire before this year.

“There are other affiliates of Jonah all over the state,” Buske said. “I’ve heard that there are initiatives like this in other communities. And I’d never heard of anybody in Eau Claire doing it.”

Buske said JONAH has an online signup sheet for people willing to give rides to the polls, as well as a separate signup sheet for those in need of transportation. As of Oct. 26, there were 25 people signed up to give rides and only one person signed up to receive a ride.

According to Buske, in the week leading up to election day, JONAH plans to reach out to the media and others in the community to spread the word about the opportunity.

In addition to this program, Buske said JONAH has utilized donations from private individuals and local businesses to make Eau Claire’s paratransit system free on election day. Typically, paratransit rides cost $10 per person.

Katherine Schneider, an Eau Claire County Board member and advocate for people with disabilities, initiated the free paratransit program through collaboration with JONAH.

“Many of the people who ride Abby vans make less than $10,000 a year,” Schneider said. “$10 is a big deal to them.”

Schneider, a blind person, said her motivation for this project began when she learned that city buses would be free on election day, but paratransit would not.

“It’s not right that just because you have to ride Abby Vans that you should have to pay $10 when everybody else is riding for free,” Schneider said. “Equal is equal, and unequal is unequal.”

The collaboration with JONAH, Schnieder said, began when she noticed their volunteer rideshare offer online. She connected with the group in hope of receiving more donations toward the paratransit initiative.

“When people use paratransit, they make an appointment and it’s like calling a cab,” Buske said. “You never know how many other people need transit when you do, so it’s like the bus and you go to each stop along the way.”

Schneider said on an average Tuesday, 140 people utilize the paratransit program. She said she hopes to see that number increase on election day.

The impact of this effort, Schneider said, will shine a light on a cohort who might feel overlooked or underrepresented in the community.

“I think it will have an impact on people who just say, ‘Hey, somebody’s paying attention to me,’” Schneider said. “Not just saying, ‘Oh, go vote,’ but making it possible. It’s a big personal impact on people.”

Buske said JONAH’s voting task force is responsible for most of the organization’s voting encouragement efforts. While volunteer numbers ebb and flow, she said there are roughly eight or nine volunteers currently on the team.

“We have a very big group this year — it’s probably one of our biggest programs this election season,” she said.

In addition to the ride initiatives, the task force has created and sold nonpartisan signs to encourage voting, general voter education mail-outs and a letter-writing campaign to citizens who have not voted recently, but have in the past. Buske said over 400 letters were sent out by volunteers this fall.

“We think every election is important,” Buske said. “But there’s an uptick in other people being interested in and concerned about voting.”

State Assembly Rep. Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) said opportunities like free rides are an important resource for citizens.

“I think that we should do everything we can to make it easier and more convenient for people to vote,” Emerson said. “I can’t think of a better way to be involved in your local community than deciding who’s on your county board, who’s on your council, who’s on your school board.”

Emerson said she is concerned there is action being taken in the government to reduce the number of citizens who can vote. She cited laws like photo I.D. requirements and proof of address.

“Voting is a core principle, and we see more and more bills out there that make it harder and harder for people to vote,” Emerson said. “It gets harder and harder to prove who you are if you aren’t a person from middle-class, white America.”

Schneider said she hopes the free paratransit option will continue for future elections.

“To me, it’s a really positive impact,” Schneider said. “It’s saying ‘Hey, we are Americans. We’re all Americans. We’re equal not just in theory, but we’re really equal’ … It makes me proud.”

Editor’s Note: This article was written as part of an assignment for a CJ 222 class, taught by Professor Pechulano Ngwe Ali.

Wojahn can be reached at wojahnal7429uwec.edu.