SunTran will offer free rides to Ocala and Marion County residents on Election Day.
The company, which has been operating in Ocala for more than 20 years, currently charges riders a fare of $1.50, with discounts offered for youth, students and older adults, among others.
According to a press release from the City of Ocala, that fee will be waived on Tuesday, Nov. 3, to encourage registered voters to participate in this year’s general election, which will pit President Donald J. Trump against former Vice President Joseph Biden.
“Free ridership on Election Day will only include the seven regular SunTran routes and not the paratransit service provided by Marion Transit,” reads the statement.
The release goes on to suggest that residents should identify their appropriate polling location before utilizing the SunTran bus route system to find the closest route.
SunTran currently operates seven routes throughout the city, including stops at Wal-Marts on East Silver Springs Boulevard and Easy Street, as well as Vanguard high school and downtown Ocala.
According to the Marion County Supervisor of Elections, as of Saturday morning, 145,962 ballots have been cast out of 264,614 registered voters, with 75,000 of those coming during early voting in the past two weeks. An additional 70,000+ mail-in votes have also been cast, putting Marion County at a 55.12% voter turnout.
During the 2016 general election, Marion County garnered over 76 percent voter turnout, with 177,168 ballots cast out of 230,839 registered voters. The rest of the state was close behind, with 75 percent of eligible Florida voters casting a vote in the 2016 general election, according to the Florida Department of State Division of Elections.
For more information the company and its election day routes, visit the SunTran website.