YORK, Pa. — On Tuesday, November 3, every rabbittransit fixed-route bus in York will carry voters for free, all day long. The fare is covered through a community partnership grant with Shiloh Baptist Church, one of York City's historic African American congregations, through its "Souls to the Polls" effort.
It is the second time this year Shiloh has led the way. Since 2024, the church has partnered with rabbittransit and the York County Community Foundation, the program's community partner and sponsor, to offer free rides to polling precincts along the fixed routes countywide.
For Dr. Larry T. Walthour, Shiloh's senior pastor, the bus ride is about something larger than transportation. "For me, it is precious and almost sacred," he said of the vote, "paid for with the blood of my ancestors."
A sacred tool, under attack
Walthour said Shiloh took on the effort out of a sense of civic responsibility and outreach beyond its own walls. "As an African-American Church in York City, we felt the need to get involved with civic responsibility and social outreach within the greater York County community," he said.
He pointed to the late Congressman John Lewis, who called the vote the most powerful nonviolent tool in American democracy. Walthour said that tool is now under pressure. In his view, voting rights are under attack, and gerrymandering and redistricting are silencing Black votes and eliminating Black districts and representation.
That is why participation in minority and marginalized communities matters so much, he said. A ride can be the difference between intending to vote and actually casting a ballot. Partnering with rabbittransit and the Community Foundation, Walthour said, was "a great avenue for getting members from those communities to the ballot box."
A church that won't stay out of the arena
"Souls to the Polls" grows out of a long Black church tradition of moving congregations from the pews to the ballot box. Walthour sees Shiloh's effort as part of that lineage and of the church's own. "For over 140 years, Shiloh has been a voice for York's least, lost, and left out communities," he said.
To those who say the church should stay out of politics, Walthour answers with scripture. He named Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Deborah, Queen Esther, Daniel, the prophets and the Apostle Paul as figures called to confront the political powers of their day.
"As a pastor and believer in Christ, I do not believe we can separate God's Kingdom work through the Church from our human responsibility to social justice and doing what is right," he said. Citing Micah 6:8, he added that loving mercy, doing right and walking humbly before God "sometimes requires speaking truth to power."
Lessons from May, and the work ahead
Walthour is candid that the May primary showed room to grow. "We have learned there is work to do in terms of increasing ridership," he said.
He described a harder climate on the ground. Attitudes toward political parties, elected officials and voting itself have soured, he said, especially in minority and marginalized communities. "Reaching voters is one thing but getting them to the polls to vote is another challenge all together."
Shiloh sees that gap up close. The church serves as a polling place, and while many voters now use early voting and mail ballots, Walthour said Election Day turnout at the precinct has been low.
He wants the rides to be a starting point. Shiloh hopes to expand into voter education, registration drives and get-out-the-vote work, and he is inviting partners in. "We welcome the support of other churches and organizations to join us in this non-partisan effort," he said.
If you need a ride on November 3
What: Free rides on rabbittransit's York fixed-route buses, all day on Election Day. Fixed-route service only.
Find your polling place: York County Vote in Person page
Plan your trip: rabbittransit's Google Transit trip planner at rabbittransit.org
Questions: Shiloh Baptist Church, (717) 854-2547
