REJECTED

Uber, Lyft to Leave Austin after Losing Vote

Voters say no to self-regulated background checks.

Uber and Lyft are expected to end service in Austin, Texas, on Monday after voters failed to support a measure that would have allowed the ride-sharing companies to use their own background check systems. Austin will now require fingerprint background checks. Both Uber and Lyft spent more than $8 million on an ad campaign with the aim of passing Proposition 1. However, 56 percent of Austin voters denied the companies' bid to regulate themselves. "The people have spoken clearly tonight. Uber & Lyft are welcome to stay & I invite them to the table regardless," Austin Mayor Adler tweeted after the vote. The two companies argued that fingerprint background checks depend on antiquated databases that would made it difficult to quickly hire enough drivers, while critics maintained it would weed out potential criminals.