How to Vote by Mail in Baltimore

Voting local is the single most important thing you can do to make Baltimore a more livable city. 

Due to COVID-19 this year’s primary election is now on June 2nd and is vote by mail. With the added complications, it’s even more important to get out the vote, and tell your friends!

Contact us with questions or concerns: info@bikemore.net

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Volunteer!

Field organizing for political campaigns has to be completely reinvented due to COVID-19. Since campaigns can’t reach voters at their doorsteps, they have had to pivot to organizing primarily by phone and text. We are helping organize volunteers to make calls and texts for our endorsed candidates, and we need your help. Just a few hours of volunteering a week can reach thousands of potential supporters.

Sign up to volunteer to help Brandon Scott’s campaign.

Spread the Word!

Make a personal ask to your friends to help elect progressive leaders - share with them how to vote or who you’re voting for. Share our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts.

Or use the images below as headers on Facebook or Twitter to help spread the word!

Weekly Update: Slow Streets, WYPR interview, and more!

WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR

  • #IBikeIVote2020: Our meet and greet last week with Brandon Scott, our endorsed candidate for mayor, had 50 participants and 1,000 viewers on Facebook Live. Watch it here.

    This election will be won by volunteers making phone calls and texting. Click here to volunteer!

  • Slow Streets: Baltimore City Council will vote on a Slow Streets bill tonight. The bill, introduced by Council President Scott, will mandate 25 miles of Slow Streets be immediately implemented across all 14 council districts with prioritization through an equity lens.

    Our Executive Director Liz Cornish was on WYPR talking about the role of transportation during the epidemic. Listen here.

  • Delivering Food by Bike: 30+ volunteers have made 200+ deliveries of food by bike through our partnership with Civic Works!

VIRTUAL EVENTS

BIKE MONTH | #BIKEMORESOLO

  • May is Bike Month! Join us social distancing cycling group on Strava, tag us with #bikemoresolo on your rides, and complete our weekly bike challenges!

  • Weekly bike challenge: Go on a ride that creates an interesting shape on the map! Check out WallyGPX for inspiration.

WHAT WE'RE READING, WATCHING + LISTENING TO

TRANSIT + BIKE SHOP STATUS

  • Bike Shops: Bike shops are open. Call your shop for specifics. Baltimore Bicycle Works on Falls Road is still open during the Falls Road construction. The shop is easily accesses by bike and foot from both directions, and accessed by car only from the south on Falls Rd.

  • Scooters: Lime has redeployed scooters in Baltimore. Spin scooters are free for all healthcare workers, and Jump is offering free rides to all essential business workers. For Spin, sign up here. For Jump, ask your HR rep for a code or ask them to fill out this form.

  • TransitClick here for the latest MTA status.

Weekly Update: Meet and Greet with Brandon Scott, Volunteer calls, and More!

Mural by Ernest Shaw

Mural by Ernest Shaw

TRANSIT + BIKE SHOP STATUS

  • Bike Shops: Bike shops are open. Call your shop for specifics. Baltimore Bicycle Works on Falls Road is still open during the Falls Road construction. The shop is easily accesses by bike and foot from both directions, and accessed by car only from the south on Falls Rd.

  • Scooters: Lime has redeployed scooters in Baltimore. Spin scooters are free for all healthcare workers, and Jump is offering free rides to all essential business workers. For Spin, sign up here. For Jump, ask your HR rep for a code or ask them to fill out this form.

  • TransitClick here for the latest MTA status.

WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR

  • #IBikeIVote2020: Help get our endorsed candidates elected!
    Sign up to volunteer to phone bank for Brandon Scott or Bill Henry. 

  • Slow Streets: Click here for our map of the Slow Streets Pilot Program. The Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance and neighborhood leaders across Baltimore City have joined our call for expansion of Slow Streets as a public health intervention during COVID-19.

  • Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott will introduce legislation tonight to formalize a Slow Streets program in Baltimore City, requiring Slow Streets in each council district.

  • Falls Road from Chestnut Ave to Maryland Ave is closed to cars for DPW work until Summer of 2021. We have been told the Jones Falls Trail will remain open.

  • Delivering Food by Bike: Bikemore has partnered with Civic Works to add capacity to their food delivery program by organizing volunteers to deliver food by bike. Sign up to volunteer this week!

VIRTUAL EVENTS

  • Bikemore Meet and Greet with Brandon Scott [Date change]
    Wednesday, May 13th, 7:00pm-8:00pm | Register to attend 

BIKE MONTH | #BIKEMORESOLO

  • May is Bike Month! Join us social distancing cycling group on Strava, tag us with #bikemoresolo on your rides, and complete our weekly bike challenges!

  • Weekly bike challenge: Ride an existing section or explore a planned section of the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network. Click here for detailed maps and more about the project.  

WHAT WE'RE READING, WATCHING + LISTENING TO

How we're increasing food access with bikes

Some of our volunteers and staff at Civic Works’ Real Food Farm

For the past two weeks, Bikemore has been partnering with Civic Works to support them in delivering fresh produce and meals to older Baltimoreans around the city. In the face of COVID-19, older folks are facing increased restrictions on mobility as people who are at higher risk for severe illness. We know that transportation is a key component of food access. 

And we know bicycles are integral to our city. To increase the Civic Works’ capacity to reach more clients, Bikemore set out to build a volunteer force, and our Bikemore community has gone beyond expectations. Since we began bike deliveries, thirty cyclists have delivered food on their bike. The diversity of riders is astonishing: some come on their road bike and a backpack, some with panniers and crates, some with a bike trailer, and some with their e-bike to assist them in riding longer distances. 

Civic Works is continuing to grow their program so they can reach more people, and we want to continue supporting them. If you’re interested in joining this effort by doing bike deliveries, sign up for a volunteer orientation below. 

ALL YOU NEED TO VOLUNTEER: 

  • A working bike that you feel comfortable riding

  • Some sort of equipment to carry food (at least 5-10 lbs) while you bike

  • A cell phone to communicate Bikemore/Civic Works staff and for GPS

  • To feel comfortable riding alone without support - you'll be responsible for any repairs you may need along the way

  • Availability on either Thursday and/or Friday anytime between 9am-3pm

  • Be healthy; not showing any symptoms of illness

  • Must be 18 years or older

Sign up

Fill out this form to sign up for a virtual volunteer orientation on May 11th or 12th.

#BikemoreSolo: Ride an Existing or Planned Part of the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network

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We’re embracing Bike Month with a social distancing cycling group on Strava, using #bikemoresolo to take photos on rides, and weekly bike challenges posted each Monday.

This week the challenge is to take a ride on an existing or planned section of the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network, a planned 35-mile trail loop.

By connecting three existing trails — Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls, and Herring Run — only 10 additional miles are needed to close critical gaps that would create this interconnected trail network. The trail will providing residents with a safe and active way to access the city’s major institutions and destinations, including universities, hospitals, museums, parks, schools, waterfronts and employment centers. Since 2015, we’ve been working in partnership with Rails-to-Trails and numerous community partners on this project.

Check out the map below, and pick a section to explore! Then tag us and #bikemoresolo in your photos.

Read more about the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network here.

Questions about the trail network? Contact us at Jed@bikemore.net and our partners at Rails-to-Trails at Jim@railstotrails.org.

And be sure to follow the Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition page on Facebook to stay up to date with the project.