- The Village 337 is providing FREE transportation to voting polls across Acadiana this weekend
- Voters are required to bring a recognizable ID to the voting poll of their choice
- Officials from the Registrar of Voters encourage participants to study the sample ballots, ahead of time
The 2023 Lafayette Parish Elections are happening this weekend and if you're in need of a ride, you can get one for free.
Volunteers from The Village 337, a social services non-profit in Lafayette, said they will be sending out vans to anyone within Acadiana heading to the polls.
Devon Norman is a member of The Village 337. He said the goal is to eliminate any inconveniences for residents that would otherwise keep them from exercising their rights.
"Let us know where they are in the region and even if they're not in the region, if somebody happens to call 337-501-7617, we will make sure that they get to a poll. I don't care where they are in the state of Louisiana," Norman said.
Riders will not only get transportation to and from a voting facility but free lunch and other resources too.
"We're not endorsing any candidates," Norman said. "We're just educating people on the process of voting, the process of government, how it works, how it looks, and what it means to them."
Norman said the transportation vans are also equipped for people traveling with children or handicap-accessible equipment.
"A lot of them are living in dilapidated homes and things of that nature," Norman said. "Look at the conditions of the community. There are so many reasons why we as an organization need to be out here, but also why our community of people actually need to be at the polls."
Before heading to the polls, some employees from the Lafayette Parish Registrar of Voters said there were some changes.
"We do have new polling locations due to redistricting and canvas," Charlene Meaux-Menard said. "By law, you can only have so many voters per precinct, so we had to divide precincts, which of course made us have new polling locations."
If you need a ride from volunteers at The Village 337, please call 337-501-7617.
For more information on polling locations, please download the "Geaux Vote" app or visit the Secretary of State's website, Louisiana Secretary of State (la.gov).
