Nashville organization provides transportation to early vote
By Chuck Morris
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — A Nashville organization wanted to help increase the early voting numbers, so they rented buses to get more people to show up to vote.
On Main Street in East Nashville, a charter bus rented by Nashville P.R.O.P.E.L. is waiting to carry voters to the polls.
“Some did not have a ride. Some get off work late. We know how the traffic is in Nashville, so we thought it was important to have sites where people could have access to transportation and not be stuck in traffic and miss their time to vote,” P.R.O.P.E.L. Executive Director Sonya Thomas said.
The East Nashville locations is one of two locations in the city that Nashville P.R.O.P.E.L. used to pickup voters looking to cast their ballots in the upcoming election.
“It’s an opportunity for people to exercise their right to vote, to amplify their voices and to demand that we’re listened to as parents and grandparents on our community,” Thomas said.
Thomas is executive director of the parent advocacy group. The organization represents parents from struggling communities in the city who are all on a mission to enhance literacy in schools.
“To demand equitable education, policies and practices right here in Nashville,” she said.
Cheyenne Cutts took one of the two buses to get to Bordeaux Library. “Everybody throws excuses on not having transportation or anything like that, and getting on the bus and coming, that allows people to see that there’s opportunities to get to cast your vote,” Cutts said.
Thomas said low turnout during early voting is the reason the organization took on this initiative.
“We are the people who we serve,” Thomas said. “We want to make sure that our people see us modeling, voting in our local elections.”
Voters who took the ride to Bordeaux Library were met with music and food to celebrate casting their ballot in this election.
Early voting for the election ends Saturday. An election-high 6,064 people voted early on Thursday to raise the total to 41,319 (9.98%) who have cast their ballot. Election day is on Thursday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to select candidates for all Metro Government offices, including Mayor, Vice Mayor and council districts, the general election for House District 52 and the primary election for District 51. The district 51 general election and runoff elections for candidates who do not receive a majority of the votes in their races will be held Sept. 14.
District 51 is the seat formerly held by Rep. Bill Beck before he passed away. Metro Council appointed Anthony Davis to fill the seat until the special election. Davis is opposed by Aftyn Behn in the Democratic primary. In District 52, Rep. Justin Jones, who was appointed to fill the seat after legislators expelled him, faces Republican Laura Nelson in the general election.
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