There might be an easy, cost-effective solution to concerns about transportation in Lewiston-Auburn on Election Day: Local political parties should subsidize buses to bring prospective voters to the polls.

The parties are already doing outreach efforts for registrations. They also offer rides to the polls, usually, for anybody who needs one. A bipartisan split – only 50/50, we insist – of the cost for busing on Election Day seems a natural extension of their efforts.

City officials on both riverbanks have considered plans for enhancing public transportation on Nov. 4, when voter turnout is expected to be more than considerable. Auburn has expressed interest in waiving bus fares that day, while Lewiston looked at establishing a special polling shuttle.

Councilors declined that latter thought, even though its estimated cost was a surprisingly affordable $500, and the city has consolidated polling places and closed in-person absentee voting on Nov. 3 in City Hall this year.

For $250 each, the Republican and Democratic parties – either the city or county committees, or whatever suitable combination thereof – could pay Lewiston to run the shuttle. It’s logical to think a similar service in Auburn would cost about the same.

Call it $1,000 total. From our perspective, this would be $500 well spent, in good faith, by the parties.

(And, we note, the CityLink service is known as the “purple” bus. A combination of red and blue!)

Although there’s little Republicans and Democrats agree upon right now, getting as many voters possible to the polls should be a universal sentiment. There’s national scrutiny on voting issues right now, with all kinds of partisan allegations being lobbed by either side.

Every questionable voter registration card or possibly restrictive voter access effort is a blunt cudgel being wielded by donkeys and elephants with aplomb, though the underlying issue is one upon which they should agree: encouraging civic participation and exercising the right to vote.

As without either, political parties would cease to wield any influence whatsoever.

Collaborative efforts are always hot topics in L-A, especially now, as the city councils wrangle with a two-year effort on joint services. On that topic, we think councilors are bogged in details and have lost sight of the possible.

A crystalline example of collaboration could change that. There would be no better cross-aisle, or cross-river, illustration than seeing local political combatants lay down arms, and open their wallets, for the voters.

We ask them to do so.