Discounted Lyft rides to vote are illegal in Georgia, Election Board finds

Janice Johnston, the Republican Party’s appointee to the board, said Lyft’s discounted-fare program unfairly benefited voters in the metro areas, where the offer received media coverage and ridesharing is more common than in rural Georgia.

“I like the idea of rides to the polls, but it must be offered to every voter in Georgia to be a fair offer. Otherwise, it’s a gift or a payment to vote,” Johnston said.

Lyft’s program was available to all Georgia voters, and voters weren’t asked who they would vote for, said an investigator for the secretary of state’s office. But it’s unclear whether Lyft drivers were readily available in rural areas.

Sara Tindall Ghazal, the Democratic Party’s appointee to the board, said Lyft’s ride-to-the-polls program was similar to church and community groups that assist voters.

“To suggest that this is a gift simply because there’s more access in some areas, that’s kind of a backwards analysis,” Ghazal said. “Nobody received anything. They only had to pay less. A voter who took advantage of one of these vouchers or used the (discount) code still had to pay for that ride.”

Johnston responded that free rides provided by volunteers are acceptable, but vouchers or discounts are not.

Georgia law prohibits giving or receiving money or gifts in exchange for voting.

Lyft didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. The board unanimously dismissed a related case involving a group called Rideshare to Vote because it offered free rides.