‘Pizza To The Polls’ Keeping Voters Fed As They Wait In Line
Nov 6, 2018, 11:53 AM | Updated: 1:15 pm
A group of friends don’t want voters to go hungry.
The group Pizza to the Polls came to fame during the 2016 presidential election, and they’re back this year for the midterms.
“Americans are hungry for democracy and are turning out in record numbers to vote,” according to the group’s website. “But that means long lines and sometimes empty stomachs, which might discourage these brave patriots from performing their civic duty.”
Pizza to the Polls takes reports of long lines from people around the nation. They then enlist the help of delivery drivers to make sure pizzas end up in the hands of voters waiting to do their civic duty.
In 2016, they coordinated the delivery of 2,368 pizzas. This year, they’re hoping to up that number.
Here’s how it works: The group asks for donations, which are then used to purchase pizzas all over the United States.
Anyone who sees a long voting line can report it at polls.pizza.
Long voting lines in Lehi. Voters at city hall tell me it has been a two hour wait! Voting officials believe the line will go down between 2-5 this afternoon but will get busy again this evening. @KSL5TV #utpol pic.twitter.com/1rFwE1tswD
— Sam Penrod (@KSLsampenrod) November 6, 2018
The website asks for a social media report to verify there’s actually a long line. It also requires the polling place address and the phone number or email address of the person reporting the long line.
According to the Pizza to the Polls website, the group raised $43,307 from 1,728 donors during the last election. With that money, they sent more than 25,000 slices of pizza around America to feed hungry people in line.
Their website allows donors to fund whole pizzas at a time, or they can choose to donate a different amount of money.
“Every dollar collected will go towards feeding hungry Americans,” according to the site. “Any funds not spent will be saved for future hungry voters and/or marchers.”
Nonprofit Pizza to the Polls sends pizza to voters waiting in long lines https://t.co/6jdeUM0269
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 6, 2018