Uber Offers A Nice Election Day Service, Screws It Up Massively

We like Uber. We’ve mentioned that once or twice. But when somebody needs hell we’re going to give it to them, and I think Uber needs a little right now.

They’re doing a nice thing, in theory. On election day (October 19th, 2015), they’re offering free rides to and from polling stations up to $15 each way in all of the Canadian cities they serve. But there’s a problem. Rather than empowering everyone to vote by making sure they have a guaranteed easy ride to and from their voting place, they’ve decided to limit it to first time riders only. So instead of providing a valuable and much needed service, they’ve effectively turned the election into just another marketing campaign, and a pretty crappy and tasteless one at that.

This might sound silly especially with the Conservatives in office, but I think most of you are smart enough to know what I mean when I say that elections aren’t for advertising. My fundamental rights and my ability to use them weren’t enshrined into the constitution so that some corporation could make money. If Uber is serious about getting people out to the polls, they’ll extend this offer to everyone. If not I’m either walking or taking a cab, because they deserve no money from any voter tomorrow.

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