In a move to encourage civic engagement, the Broward County Board of Commissioners has announced that voters can take advantage of FREE bus and paratransit fares during the Early Voting Period and on Election Day. This initiative allows residents to travel on Broward County Transit (BCT) without any fare on November 2, November 3, and Election Day Tuesday, November 5, 2024, facilitating easier access to polling places. In Broward County, polling locations are open now through November 3, and then again on Election Day, operating from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
According to the 2022 U.S. Census, nearly 30,000 Broward households are without a vehicle, while close to 240,000 rely on a single vehicle for their transportation needs. With Broward County serving as the home to 1.94 million people—1.5 million of whom are older than 18—the fare-free transit initiative supports residents who may otherwise struggle with access to reliable transportation for voting.
As of October 18, 2024, more than 3.3 million ballots have been cast in Florida’s 2024 election. This included more than 108,000 early voters and nearly 146,000 vote-by-mail ballots from Broward County alone. By offering free rides, BCT aims to make voting easier and remove any transportation-related barriers during early voting and on Election Day.
“I’m so glad that BCT made transit free during the general election,” Broward County resident Adora Griffith said as she was leaving an early voting site. “When I shared a vehicle with my family, transit was a reliable option. I didn’t have to worry about getting around or parking, which can be a real hassle,”
Transit can pose a challenge for residents without a vehicle or those with limited mobility. Luckily, BCT offers ADA-accessible buses, as well as numerous accessible stops across the county. BCT’s paratransit service, also known as TOPS, is also fare-free on November 2, November 3, and Election Day Tuesday, November 5.
“Offering free rides is a huge commitment to ensuring everyone can fulfill their civic duty,” emphasized Griffith who relied heavily on transit prior to her recent car purchase.
To support riders heading to the polls, BCT has posted a dedicated webpage listing all 28 early voting sites and vote-by-mail drop-off locations, including information on which bus routes serve each location. For Election Day, riders can find their polling location, plan their trip through the BCT mobile app, or contact BCT’s customer service team for assistance.
“We’re always ready to assist passengers on their trips,” BCT CEO/General Manager Coree Cuff Lonergan explained.
BCT customer service is staffed with highly certified and qualified personnel fluent in multiple languages. The team is well prepared to receive calls from new riders during the fare-free days.
“We’re excited to assist first-time transit riders, helping them get confidently to their polling locations and back home,” Cuff Lonergan continued.
For more information on getting to a polling location, visit Broward.org/BCT or call customer service at 954-357-8400.
