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Uber and Lyft's decision to join voting groups to hold free or low-cost polls in Tuesday's mid-term elections raised questions about corporate motivations. . Is it an act of civic engagement or a marketing ploy new runners?
Uber works in partnership with Democracy Works and #VoteTogether, and Lyft is associated with Vote.org and TurboVote.
Offering free spins at the polls is nothing new. Politicians and political action groups do it all the time, but it's different because it's carpool companies that offer help.
Julie Irwin, professor of marketing at the University of Texas at Austin, said Uber and Lyft have strayed from politics by offering discounted rides to all, not just Republicans or Democrats.
"But I mean, even if they said," We want more progressives, then we're going to give people walks, "I do not think it would hurt Uber and Lyft because it's probably who uses them, "said Irwin.
It may not hurt companies, but companies may be in legal trouble if they seem to be asking for a vote in exchange for a turn. On their websites, Lyft and Uber have disclaimers that deny any political motive.
Jim O'Rourke, a marketing professor at the University of Notre Dame, said that at the end of the day, it's a good choice to recruit new riders.
"Especially if you're an older customer or someone in an underserved area, it's a great way to introduce the service to someone," he said.
It is unclear how much it will cost Uber and Lyft, but the services said the drivers would be paid for the full amount of the race.
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