Election Day 2018 Freebies And Deals Complete Guide To I Voted Sticker Perks

The 2018 midterm elections saw numerous brands and businesses offer special deals and freebies to encourage voter participation. Across the United States, companies provided incentives ranging from complimentary food items to discounted transportation services for those heading to the polls. This comprehensive guide details the various promotions available to voters who displayed their "I Voted" stickers or participated in Election Day activities.

Food and Drink Freebies

Numerous restaurant chains and food establishments offered special deals to voters during the 2018 midterm elections. These promotions ranged from complimentary items to discounted meals, with most requiring the presentation of an "I Voted" sticker.

National Chain Offers

Several national restaurant chains participated in Election Day promotions:

• Shake Shack provided free fries with any purchase when customers showed their "I Voted" sticker. For those who lost their sticker during the day, the company also offered free fries by using the promotional code "ivoted" when ordering through the Shake Shack app. A St. Louis location reported treating approximately 800 voters to free fries, significantly more than their typical Tuesday sales of 500 orders of French fries.

• Potbelly offered a free cookie with the purchase of an entree on both Election Day and the following Wednesday, extending their promotion into the day after the election.

• Corner Bakery Cafe provided a free brewed or cold brewed coffee of any size with any purchase when customers showed their "I Voted" sticker.

• California Tortilla rewarded customers who said "I Voted" with a free order of chips and queso alongside any purchase.

• Miller's Ale House charged only $1 for the first beer at participating locations for customers who indicated they had voted.

• Krispy Kreme's promotion varied by source, with some mentioning a free doughnut for voters with an "I Voted" sticker, while others indicated that reward members could get two dozen doughnuts for $13 with an email coupon on Tuesday and Wednesday.

• Chameleon Cold-Brew required customers to post a selfie with their "I Voted" sticker on Instagram, tagging @ChameleonColdBrew and using #FuelTheVote, to receive a voucher for a free 10-ounce cold brew.

• Fatz Southern Kitchen offered a free Fatz Famous Sweet Tea with the purchase of an entrée when customers presented their "I Voted" sticker.

• Lemonade, a California-based chain, provided free lemonade with any purchase to customers wearing their "I Voted" sticker.

Additional Food and Beverage Deals

Several other establishments offered Election Day specials:

• Capriotti's Sandwich Shop provided $1 off any sub when customers showed their voting sticker.

• Jersey Mike's Subs concluded its National Sandwich Day promotion on Election Day, offering $2 off any regular sub with a coupon that had been sent to email club members and posted on the chain's Facebook page.

• Jimboy's Tacos celebrated both Election Day and National Nacho Day by offering their Ground Beef Nachos for $5.50 at participating locations.

Transportation Deals

Recognizing that access to polling places can be a barrier to voting, several transportation companies offered free or discounted rides to voters on Election Day 2018.

Ride-Sharing Services

Major ride-sharing companies provided special promotions:

• Uber offered $10 off a single ride to the polls on Election Day with the promotional code VOTE2018. The discount was available for the most affordable Uber option available in each user's respective city.

• Lyft provided 50% off rides to most voting locations, making it more affordable for voters to reach their polling places.

• Lime, which operates shared bikes and scooters, offered free 30-minute rides to polling places on their fleet of bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters. Voters in any of the over 100 eligible cities could enter the code LIME2VOTE18 to receive the discount.

• Zipcar contributed to voter accessibility by offering $20 toward a future trip with any Election Day rental.

Public Transportation

Several public transportation systems made their services free on Election Day:

• In Los Angeles, Metro trains, buses, and bike shares were free on Election Day, as were Long Beach Transit, Baldwin Park Transit, Pasadena Transit, and Santa Clarita Transit services.

• For Metro Bike Share specifically, users could unlock a free 30-minute ride by using the promotional code 1162018.

Legal Considerations

The practice of offering incentives for voting exists in a legal gray area, with important distinctions to understand:

• Federal law makes it illegal to offer free items or services to people upon proof of voting when federal candidates are on the ballot. According to Rick Hasen, a law professor at UC Irvine, "It is illegal in elections when federal candidates are on the ballot to offer free stuff (including free food or drink) to people upon proof of voting."

• Some businesses navigate this legal requirement by structuring their promotions to be available to anyone who asks, rather than exclusively to voters. For example, The Field Museum in Chicago initially planned to require voters to show their voting stickers for free admission but changed the offer to provide free admission to anyone in Illinois.

• Despite these legal considerations, many businesses continued to offer promotions tied to voting participation, with some emphasizing their civic engagement intentions rather than direct transactional exchanges.

Regional Variations

While many promotions were available nationally, some offers varied by region:

• In Los Angeles, bars owned by the 1933 Group offered $1 Moscow Mules or Old Fashioneds from 5 to 7 p.m. for anyone with an "I Voted" sticker.

• The St. Louis Shake Shack location, part of a national chain, implemented the company's nationwide "I Voted" fries promotion. According to Ryan Hux, the general manager, the promotion aligned with the company's slogan "Stand for Something Good," reflecting their desire to encourage civic participation.

• Public transportation free rides were particularly prominent in the Los Angeles area, with multiple transit systems participating, though similar initiatives may have existed in other regions not detailed in the provided sources.

Conclusion

The 2018 midterm elections saw widespread participation from businesses offering incentives to voters, reflecting a trend of companies aligning their marketing with civic engagement. From complimentary food items at popular restaurant chains to free transportation services, these promotions served dual purposes: encouraging voter turnout and providing positive brand associations. While legal considerations limit how directly businesses can tie offers to voting, many found creative ways to reward civic participation. For consumers, these Election Day freebies provided additional incentives to participate in the democratic process while enjoying various benefits from food to transportation. As voter turnout in midterm elections typically remains low—approximately four in ten eligible Americans according to Fortune—such promotions may play an increasing role in encouraging greater participation in future elections.

Sources

1. FOX 5 DC - Freebies and Deals Being Offered on Election Day 2018
2. Newsweek - Election Day Deals: I Voted Sticker, Shake Shack, Corner Cafe
3. USA Today - Election Day freebies 2018: Free rides, polls and other deals
4. CBS News - Free Election Day Doughnut, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Pizza and More
5. Business Insider - Election Day Free Food Deals
6. St. Louis Public Radio - St. Louis businesses woo voters with freebies on Election Day