KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — The Innovation Black Chamber of Commerce has partnered with OVA, an upstart rideshare company, to launch the Ride2Vote initiative — the initiative provides free transportation to the Jackson Professional Learning Center near downtown Killeen, aiming to boost voter turnout.
Ronnie Russell, head of the Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the necessity of this venture after observing low early voter turnout.
"The reason why we reached out to the rideshare company is because, sometimes, you have to take away the excuse," Russell said.
The goal of Ride2Vote is not only to get voters to the polls but also to provide them with as much information as possible to make informed decisions.
Russell hopes this initiative will prioritize voting for residents.
"For someone to say, ‘I didn’t vote because I didn’t have a ride' — but, you found a ride to go to the club, you found a ride to go to the salon, you found a ride to go to the barbershop, but, if you don’t go and do what someone else had died for you so you can go vote," he said.
"Make this important to you like you make everything else important in your life."
OVA CEO Melvin Davis, a native Texan, expressed his commitment to providing this resource to Central Texans, especially those in non-major metro areas.
"I’m big, I’m very Southerner — I grew up in inner city Houston, where it’s just "Help Thy Neighbor"," Davis said.
"I also grew up in the rural area of Madisonville, Texas, right outside of Huntsville, and it was always "Help Thy Neighbor"and that’s where we come in with the rural community, where as the drivers actually help the people in their own community."
