By Little Miss Marva Bean
My Uncle John is so, kind! He really cares about helping others make smart choices about voting. A church visitor told my Uncle John that voting is an inconvenience.
The man went on, saying he couldn’t get time off work, and even if he could, he still wouldn’t have a way to get to his polling place. He ended by saying, “Plus, finding someone to watch my kids is a whole ’notha task.” My Uncle John smiled, put his hand on the man’s shoulder and said, “I can help with all of that.”
The man wasn’t alone. A December 2024 Pew Research Center report found that 15% of eligible nonvoters identified inconvenience as a major reason they did not vote. The problems the man listed weren’t new.
The problems the man described have also been documented in research. A September 2020 report by Demos examined racial disparities in absentee ballot requests and voter turnout in Cuyahoga County. The report also identified barriers to voting that included inflexible work schedules, lack of childcare and limited access to public transportation, particularly for Black and Latino communities.
Couldn’t get time off work
My Uncle John said he empathized with the man and others who shared his plight.
Plight was one of my spelling words last week. It has a lot of definitions, but Merriam-Webster defines it in this context as “an unfortunate, difficult, or precarious situation.”
My uncle said that when he was working, he valued voting enough to arrange time off on Election Day. He used personal leave, sick leave and vacation time, exchanged shifts and borrowed hours from coworkers to make sure he could vote.
Sometimes, Election Day fell on his day off, and sometimes it didn’t. Most times he only needed a couple of hours for traveling. Each time, he had to make a conscious effort to do whatever he needed so he could vote.
No transportation to polls
Some voters have polling places in or near their neighborhoods. My parents vote at my school three blocks from our home. When the weather was good, we walked there. While my parents voted, I played on the playground with other neighborhood kids.
My Uncle John said that if walking to the polls is not an option and a friend or family member cannot provide a ride, Lyft is offering a 50% discount, up to $10, on one eligible ride to a polling place on Nov. 3, using the code VOTE26. The offer is subject to availability and the company’s terms.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections is at 1803 Superior Ave. in Cleveland. For the Nov. 3 election, early-voting hours vary by date; voters should check the board’s website before visiting. The RTA bus number 3 passes it. A one-way fare is $2.50. Check the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s website for current routes and fares.
No childcare
My Uncle John said that sometimes having no one to watch one’s children was a barrier for some parents trying to vote back in his day. When he first started voting, he didn’t have the same choices that people have now. Voters should check current state and county rules for early in-person and absentee voting.
If childcare is a challenge, early voting may be a possibility. Some of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections hours are even on specified weekends.
On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls will open at 6:30 a.m. and will remain open until 7:30 p.m.
In class, we learned that people vote to choose leaders and decide about community rules or projects. My Uncle John said that when he goes to the polls for this election, he’s taking me with him! I will get to watch him cast his vote!
So grown-ups, don’t let voting be an inconvenience for you. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections is open weekdays and some weekends. You can vote early in person, vote by mail with an absentee ballot or go to your polling place on Election Day. Early voting ends Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. and ordinary domestic absentee ballots must arrive by Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
With some planning, Cleveland voters may even be able to arrange a free ride, call Antioch Baptist Church at 216-421-1516.
My uncle said that voting is a privilege, but he worries that if people fail to use their voting power, people may lose it. I sure hope they don’t lose it before I get a chance to use it.
Little Miss Marva Bean is the precocious fourth-grade version of the managing editor, Marva White. She is committed to accurate editorial content with an emphasis on clear reporting, strong collaboration and coverage that informs and serves readers.
