Shuttle service, child care make voting easier for area residents

Voters cast their ballots during early voting at the Hamilton County Election Commission on Amnicola Highway.
Voters cast their ballots during early voting at the Hamilton County Election Commission on Amnicola Highway.

Two local organizations hope to make it easier to vote.

GoVoteCha is offering free rides to the polls for residents of Hamilton County, and the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga will provide two hours of child care.

Shuttle service

Officials with GoVoteCha have partnered with a team of pastors and community leaders to offer complimentary shuttle service to any voter residing in Hamilton County. Transportation will be provided, as available, during early voting and on Election Day.

Election Day voting takes place in designated neighborhood precincts on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Find out more at http://elect.hamil tontn.gov.

There are four early voting sites in Hamilton County open through today, Nov. 3. The Election Commission Office, 700 River Terminal Road, will be open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Brainerd Recreation Center at 1010 N. Moore Road, Eastwood Baptist Church at 4300 Ooltewah-Ringgold Road and North River Civic Center at 1009 Executive Drive, Suite 102, will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. today.

Voters may request a ride by visiting www.GoVoteCha.org or by calling 423-708-4490.

Child care

YMCA officials are hoping to make voting more convenient for parents on Tuesday by expanding Child Watch services at five locations.

* Downtown, 301 W. Sixth St., 423-266-3766.

* Hamilton, 7430 Shallowford Road, 423-899-1721.

* North River, 4138 Hixson Pike, 423-877-3517.

* North Georgia, 1733 Battlefield Parkway, Fort Oglethorpe.

* Cleveland, 220 Urbane Road, 423-476-5573.

Child Watch hours are 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. on Election Day, and members and nonmembers can leave children for up to two hours while they vote. Space is limited. Reservations are required for nonmembers.

While parents are voting, kids will engage in civic-minded activities to help them envision and pursue a positive future.

"We want to not only provide greater ease for voting parents by extending our child care, but we also want to encourage and empower children to pursue whatever their future goals are," says Janet Dunn, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga.

The event is inspired by the Y's recent Zoe for President campaign, which touts the Y's ability to take care of individuals and communities from birth through retirement, like no other organization in America - all through the lens of a mock presidential campaign designed to elect a 1-year-old as president in 2064.

In addition, all local Y branches will offer an $8 joining fee to commemorate the date.

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