By james art 
Washoe County Deputy Clerk of Voters Andrew McDonald talks about the election
Washoe County Deputy Registrar of Voters Andrew McDonald talks early voting and preparing for Election Day with RGJ on October 30, 2024.
Election Day is just around the corner — just four days away as the highly anticipated races come to a close.
If you haven’t voted yet, the last day to vote early is Friday. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day.
However, if you’re one of the many who enjoy voting for Tuesday’s main event, Washoe County has several transportation options for you, including free shuttle buses.
Who is offering free rides to the polls on Election Day in Washoe County?
The Washoe County Regional Transportation Commission provides free transportation within the county on Election Day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m
“Public transportation is a convenient way to get to your polling place of choice,” Jim Gee, director of public transportation for the RTC, said in a release.
However, not all polling stations are serviced by RTCs, so people are urged to plan ahead. Riders can enter their pickup location and destination at rtcwashoe.com or download the Transit app. Customer service is also available at (775) 348-RIDE.
How about carpooling?
Carpooling with friends, family or even neighbors is a great way to get to the polls.
However, ridesharing is illegal in Nevada, as highlighted by the recent Burning Man crackdown by the Nevada Transportation Authority. Ahead of Election Day, drivers are being reminded not to offer unauthorized paid rides.
“The only way to legally provide toll transportation in Nevada is by obtaining the proper permit or by being hired to provide transportation on one of the NTA-authorized transportation network provider platforms,” said Terry Williams, NTA spokesperson.
Nevadans are allowed to ride to the polls if they don’t pay a fee.
Those interested in obtaining a ride-sharing permit must register with one or more ride-sharing companies — such as Uber and Lyft — and then comply with their requirements. This includes a background check, vehicle inspection, a state business license from the Nevada Secretary of State’s office, and some form of auto insurance.
Ride-sharing drivers who offer rides outside the app for money are also breaking the law, according to the NTA. They are subject to a citation and impoundment of their vehicle.
“Every person deserves access to safe and reliable transportation,” Williams said. “The National Technical Association strongly urges riders to refrain from using unlicensed transportation services. We also urge people to refrain from offering unlicensed transport services.
However, if you’re looking for a paid ride to the polls, Uber and Lyft offer discounted rides.
How do I get discounted transportation to the polls?
Lyft announced that their riders can pre-load the code VOTE24 on or before Election Day to receive a half-price discount of up to $10 on a carpool, bike or scooter ride to or from the polls on Election Day. Code is only valid between 5am and 10pm in any time zone.
Uber is also offering half off rideshare costs to $10 on Election Day.
When they open the app, users can click on the “Go Vote” tile and book a ride to the nearest polling place with the discount, unless they’re in California or Georgia. Offer runs between 4am and 11:59pm local time on November 5th. The company also offers 25% off food orders up to $15 with a minimum order of $25.
Where can I vote on Election Day in Nevada?
All Election Day voting centers in Nevada open at 7 a.m. on Nov. 5
Washoe County has 55 voting precincts to choose from. To check wait times, voters can go to the county’s live wait time link.
- Aspen Lodge at Sierra Canyon, 1798 W. Del Webb Parkway
- Northwest Reno Library, 2325 Robb Drive
- Bartley Ranch Park, 6000 Bartley Ranch Road
- North Valleys Community Center, 8085 Silver Lake Road
- Brown Elementary School, 13815 Spelling Court
- North Valleys High School, 1470 E. Golden Valley Road
- Billinghurst Middle School, 6685 Chesterfield Lane
- North Valleys Library, 1075 N. Hills Blvd. Suite 340
- Caughlin Ranch Elementary School, 4885 Village Green Parkway
- Plumas Park Gym, 475 Monroe St.
- Clayton Middle School, 1295 Wyoming Ave.
- Pyramid Lake Tribal Office, 208 Capitol Hill
- Cold Springs Middle School, 18235 Cody Court
- Red Hawk Resort, 6600 N. Wingfield Parkway
- Damonte Ranch High School, 10500 Rio Wrangler Parkway
- Reed High School, 1350 Baring Blvd.
- Depoali Middle School, 9300 Wilbur May Parkway
- Reno High School, 395 Booth St.
- Dilworth Middle School, 255 Prater Way
- Reno Sparks Indian Colony, 34 Reservation Road
- Donner Springs Elementary School, 5125 Escuela Way
- Reno Town Mall, 4001 S. Virginia St.
- Downtown Reno Library, 301 S. Center St.
- Sky Ranch Middle School, 1200 Windmill Farms Parkway
- Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center, 1301 Valley Road
- South Valley Volunteer Fire Department Communication. Building, 3010 Lakeshore Blvd.
- Five Star Premier Residences, 3201 Plumas St.
- South Valleys Library, 15650A Wedge Parkway
- Galena High School, 3600 Butch Cassidy Way
- Spanish Springs High School, 1065 Eagle Canyon Drive
- Grace Warner Elementary, 3075 Height Drive
- Spanish Springs Library, 7100A Pyramid Way
- Hug High School, 3530 Sullivan Lane
- Sparks Christian Fellowship, 510 Greenbrae Drive
- Hungry Valley Community Center, 9075 Eagle Canyon Drive
- Sparks Library, 1125 12th St.
- Incline Village Library, 845 Alder Ave.
- Stead Elementary School, 10580 Stead Blvd.
- Incline Village Middle School, 931 Southwood Blvd.
- Summit Lake Paiute Tribe, 2255 Green Vista Dr. Suite 401
- Jerry Whitehead Elementary School, 3570 Waterfall Drive
- Sun Valley Neighborhood Center, 115 W Sixth Ave.
- Jesse Beck Elementary School, 1900 Sharon Way
- UNR Joe Crowley Student Union, 1664 N Virginia St.
- Marce Herz Middle School, 13455 Thomas Creek Road
- Van Gorder Elementary School, 7650 Campello Drive
- Museum of May at San Rafael Park, 1595 N Sierra St.
- Verdi Elementary School, 250 Bridge St.
- Mendive Middle School, 1900 Whitewood Drive
- Washoe County Complex, 1001 E Ninth St.
- Moss Elementary, 2200 Primio Way
- Westbrook Community Center, 218 Kennedy Drive
- Natchez Elementary School, 1 Highway 447
- Wooster High School, 1331 E Plumb Lane
- Neil Road Recreation Center, 3925 Neil Road
Jaedyn Young covers local government for the Reno Gazette-Journal. Her salaries are 100% funded by donations and grants; If you want to see more stories like this, please consider donating to RGJ.com/donate. Send your story ideas and feedback to Jaedyn at [email protected].