Augusta voters can hitch a ride Election Day in one of two city-rented vans from one of the three former polling places to the Augusta Civic Center, where city councilors voted in June to consolidate voting citywide permanently.

The vans, one a 15-passenger van and the other an accessible van with a wheelchair lift, will be driven by city parks department staff, who are also duly-sworn election officials. The vans will run continuously during polling hours from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 4.

City staff said the consolidation would make running the election easier, more efficient and somewhat cheaper. When councilors voted to merge polls at the civic center, some councilors expressed concerns the move would make it harder for residents who don’t have transportation to get to the polls. They warned that could disproportionately make it harder for people who are old or poor to vote, because they are more likely not to have their own transportation.

One councilor said the plan presented to councilors last week by Community Services Director Earl Kingsbury wiped out concerns she had about the consolidation.

“I want to say I am so proud of this city and our staff and the way we’ve handled this consolidation and have been forward-facing and thoughtful with implementation of a transportation plan,” At-Large Councilor Courtney Gary-Allen said. “I was one of the opposing votes to consolidation of this and over time I learned some things and accepted new information and listened, and I changed my vote. I think this is a great decision and we’ve done it right and we can be an example for other cities who, like us, want to both make it easier on our staff to do thoughtful, ethical voting days and also provide accessibility and transportation as you make that transition for everyone.”

Gary-Allen suggested the vans should have signs with the city logo so people know they’re “not just getting into a weird van,” which Kingsbury said they plan to do.

Kingsbury said they’ll have practice runs so officials will know roughly how long people may have to wait for one of the vans to circle by to pick them up and take them to the polls and back.

Kingsbury said the former polling locations — Buker Community Center at 22 Armory St., Augusta City Center at 16 Cony St., and Cony High School at 40 Pierce Drive — will accommodate voters who need to wait for a van. At Buker and City Center, people can wait in the lobby while, at Cony High School, a tent will be set up, which Kingsbury said could have a heater inside, if needed.

Kingsbury said he’ll work with City Manager Jared Mills to see if the city can have a staff member at each of the three former locations to help residents, in additon to signs.

Mills said the consolidation of the polls and the transportation plan was reviewed by Secretary of State election officials and Disability Rights Maine, an organization which advocates for accessibility for people with disabilities, and both approved.

Kingsbury said the cost to rent the vans should be about only $1,000. The parks department workers would be working the election anyway, he said.

Kingsbury said the three parks workers who’ll drive the van are sworn in as election workers because they transport voting machines and sometimes the locked ballot boxes, so that’s nothing new to them.

At-Large Councilor Stephanie Sienkiewicz said that’s important because the drivers will know not to violate election rules, or try to influence voters in the vans.

Parking spaces will be reserved for voters at the three former polling places.

Mills said the civic center already has a plan in place for helping people with accessibility challenges, including ushers and wheelchairs available.

Staff will direct people once inside the civic center, he said. Residents will vote in different parts of the building, depending upon which ward they are in. Workers will be able to determine that by the voters’ home addresses.

Kingsbury said the city will track the number of riders who use the vans for future planning. He said the city has some vehicles that could be pressed into service if the two vans aren’t enough to meet the demand.

Voters can still vote absentee before the election and return their ballots to Augusta City Center.