FRANKLIN—Workers at the William M. Johnson Funeral Home took a break from funeral duties on Tuesday to give people a ride to the polls — in a stretch limousine.

Funeral home owners Ernestine and Raystine Johnson participated in the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association’s (NFDMA) “Limo to the Polls, No Funeral Day” program. NFDMA National Director, Sharon Seay, said the Johnsons were among more than 100 association members who decided to participate in this initiative.

“ It is an important and historic election for this country and our Franklin community,” said Ernestine Johnson. “Because the community has supported us, we felt we should do this to show our support back to the community.”

Seay said the 85-year-old NFDMA helped hundreds of elderly citizens throughout the nation get to the polls.

“The NFDMA historically has been instrumental in helping folks in our communities get involved in the political process,” she said. “We have been actively engaged in this work since the Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965 and have seen a surge of interest in this initiative among our members since the 2000 election.”

While the weather limited the number of participants, the Johnsons made their limos available to transport Franklin citizens from home and to various polling places throughout the city most of the day. They also had their drivers actively searching for anyone who needed a ride home after voting.

Raystine Johnson said she was pleased to offer the rides.

“We feel good about having an opportunity to do our part to help those who couldn’t get out alone let their voice be heard,” she said.