Government watchdog group has network of drivers at the ready for election day

For most who want to vote in Wisconsin, it’s pretty routine getting to the polls — unless you don’t have easy access to transportation.

Then, of course, it’s not so easy.

That is something the group Common Cause in Wisconsin worked to fix four years ago by setting up a network of volunteers and others to help would be voters to the polls.

The group now has a comprehensive list that runs two dozen pages of voter transportation drivers, for election day and before says executive director Jay Heck.

“What’s great is a lot of these people are also willing to take people to the Department of Motor Vehicles to help people get the ID they need in order to vote,” Heck said.

Providing rides is pretty essential for many, Heck said.

“A lot of people don’t have cars of their own,” he said. “A lot of people rely on public transportation.

“For some, they’re not going to vote unless they have transportation to get to the polling place.”

The group’s list of transportation providers is updated frequently and available online here. Not all counties are represented on the list and many drivers are volunteers.

In the City of La Crosse, the MTU is offering free rides. In La Crosse County, the only service listed is the free bus rides La Crosse’s MTU provides.