BARBARA DOMER: Valparaiso City Council District 3

Sen. Gary Byrne has authored a bill for consideration which states “A public transportation agency shall not implement free or reduced fares on a general, primary, or municipal election day.”

Currently, there are no restrictions on a public transportation agency to offer free fares on a general, primary, or municipal election day. There are four municipalities in Indiana (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Gary and Evansville) who offer free fares on these election days. The fares are subsidized through AARP Indiana which means the municipality does not lose revenue. I asked the Valparaiso transit director to look into whether AARP Indiana is continuing the program in 2024 and whether our municipality would qualify for this program.

I oppose Senate BIll 187 as I believe it aims to reduce voter turnout, especially in communities where residents rely on public transportation.  Our legislators would best serve the public by providing for greater access to voting.