Dave Schneider watched and waited for the right moment as students passed his table.
"Are you registered to vote, man?" he asked passers-by as they stared at the pavement and beelined for Library West. "Come vote, dude. I'll drive you to the polls, get you out of there in 10, 15 minutes max."
Schneider, a 21-year-old UF alumnus, stood behind a table on the Plaza of the Americas Tuesday afternoon. A white, handwritten sign on the table read, "We can drive you to the polls today."
On behalf of Students for a Democratic Society, Schneider volunteered his car and offered free rides downtown for anyone interested in the city elections and the Republican Presidential Preference Primary.
He lingered in front of the table in khaki pants and a long-sleeved, blue, button-down dress shirt. It was 81 degrees outside without a cloud in the sky.
Most people avoided him.
Some said they had class, some said they were registered in other counties and others said they would come back later. They never did.
Within a few hours of standing and talking, Schneider persuaded one student.
"I guess if he's dedicated enough to drive people, and there's a free ride right here, I better go vote," said Robbey Hayes, a 21-year-old anthropology junior.
So, off they went.
Schneider, a city coordinator for the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, kept his 2005 Camry on hand in the nearby Chipotle Mexican Grill parking lot.
Schneider picked up a little secret during his four years at UF: Chipotle never tows, he said.
Windows down and music off, Schneider drove Hayes downtown to the Supervisor of Elections Administration Building next to Bo Diddley Community Plaza.
Hayes said he didn't know too much about the city candidates or state voting regulations. Schneider, who is also the deputy campaign manager for James Ingle, a Gainesville City Commission at-large 1 candidate, spent most of the 10-minute ride explaining candidate platforms and regulations.
As the two passed Bagels & Noodles on University Avenue, Hayes gushed about how good the Vietnamese soup was.
"Really? I've never heard of it. I'm going to go try it this week," Schneider said.
They arrived at the downtown voting site. The seven voter-reserved parking spots in front of the building were vacant.
Schneider parked and stayed in the car. He kept his car running and left the windows down. Hayes went inside to vote.
The voting process took about 10 minutes because Hayes had to change his address. That takes longer than usual, Schneider said.
"Normally there are no lines during early voting," he said. "So it takes no time."
Hayes finished voting, got his "I Voted" sticker and walked back to the car.
The 68-year-old poll deputy who was sitting outside the building in his American flag baseball cap waved goodbye.
"I can't tell ya how wonderful it is to see students down here voting early," said Joe Antonelli, poll deputy at the Supervisor of Elections Administration Building.
The burly, gray-bearded man said he has been working the polls in Gainesville for 20 years.
"I look forward to when students come," he said. "It shows that they are taking an interest, which is great because student turnout is usually abysmal."
Hayes said he was happy to do his part in the city political process.
"These city elections are affecting me," he said. "I did my civic duty. It was exhilarating. And I got a free ride out of it."
On the way back to campus, Schneider talked about how difficult it was to mobilize students to go vote in city and state elections.
Regardless, he said, he was thrilled Hayes took advantage of the free ride.
The two arrived back on the plaza.
Hayes went to class, and Schneider returned to his post.
When he arrived, another student was waiting for him.
Eric Brown, 18-year-old political science freshman, promotes Students for a Democratic Society's free rides to early voting on Wednesday afternoon on the Plaza of the Americas.
