Funeral Home Offers Free Rides to Polls
Watkins, Garrett and Woods Mortuary is giving voters free funeral-car rides to polling locations in Greenville.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
Live Poll
Would you accept a free ride to the polls if one were offered?
Watkins, Garrett and Woods Mortuary is offering voters free rides to the polls in a funeral car. Several voters have booked a ride for Election Day.
Why it matters
The mortuary says the rides are an act of service and a way to give back to the community, and that they help ensure every voter's voice is heard. The program gives Greenville residents a no-cost way to reach polling locations.
The mortuary has driven hundreds of people to early voting this year, with driver Michael Sullivan alone making dozens of trips. The funeral car seats seven, and voters who vote inside typically take five to 10 minutes, while the total Election Day ridership remains unreported.
The players
Watkins, Garrett and Woods Mortuary
A Greenville, South Carolina funeral home that has offered free polling rides as a community service for about 40 years.
Fred Douglas Garrett Jr.
President and manager of Watkins, Garrett and Woods Mortuary, overseeing the funeral home's operations and its polling ride program.
The details
Voters book rides by calling (864) 242-1144, and the mortuary drives them to polling locations in a funeral car. Poll workers have come out to the car so some voters can vote from inside it.
Timeline
About 40 years ago: the mortuary began its free polling ride tradition.
Early voting, 2026: the mortuary drove hundreds of people to early voting.
Election Day, 2026: several voters booked mortuary rides to the polls.
Season Trajectory
Community-run voter transportation, such as this 40-year polling ride tradition, has long been used by local institutions to remove transportation barriers at the polls. The mortuary's program continues that pattern of nonprofit and civic-minded services aimed at increasing turnout among residents who lack reliable rides.
Greenville voters who lack a ride to the polls can call (864) 242-1144 to book a free trip in the mortuary's funeral car. The car seats seven, so riders can travel together to a polling location.
The takeaway
Free transportation services can remove a practical barrier to voting for residents who lack a ride. Voters who need one can plan ahead by booking a ride before Election Day.
Further reading
For more on local voting logistics, see Elections coverage across Greenville.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Foxcarolina.
Live Poll
Would you accept a free ride to the polls if one were offered?
