The 2018 midterm elections on November 6 saw various brands and transportation services offering incentives to encourage voter participation and facilitate access to polling locations. These promotions ranged from free transportation to polling places to complimentary food items and discounts, often requiring proof of voting such as an "I Voted" sticker or specific promotional codes. The availability of these offers varied by location and provider, with national chains and local transit authorities participating in get-out-the-vote efforts.
Transportation and Travel Incentives
Several transportation network companies and local transit agencies provided discounted or free rides to assist voters in reaching their designated polling places.
Ride-Sharing Services: - Uber offered $10 off a single ride to the polls on Election Day. This discount was available using the promo code "VOTE2018" and was valid for the most affordable Uber option available in the user's respective city. The offer was intended to eliminate transportation barriers for voters. - Lyft provided 50 percent off rides to most voting locations. Additionally, Lyft offered free rides to voters in certain underserved communities. - Lime offered free rides on its shared bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters for up to 30 minutes. To access this offer, users in over 100 eligible cities entered the promo code "LIME2VOTE18" during their ride. This promotion was designed for voters preferring micro-mobility options to travel to and from polling places.
Car Sharing and Public Transit: - Zipcar offered $20 toward a future trip for members who rented a vehicle on Election Day. - Metro (Los Angeles) provided free rides on buses, trains, and bike shares on Election Day. This free service extended to Long Beach Transit, Baldwin Park Transit, Pasadena Transit, Santa Clarita Transit, and Access Services. For Metro Bike Share specifically, users could unlock a free 30-minute ride using the promo code "1162018".
Food and Beverage Promotions
Numerous restaurant chains offered free food items or discounts to customers presenting an "I Voted" sticker or using specific promo codes. It is noted that offering free items in exchange for voting is technically illegal in federal elections; therefore, many brands structured these offers to be available to anyone who asked or made a purchase, rather than strictly verifying voting status.
National Chains: - Shake Shack offered free fries with any purchase for customers showing an "I Voted" sticker at participating locations. For customers who lost their sticker, a free order of fries was also available by using the promotional code "ivoted" within the Shake Shack app on Election Day. - Potbelly provided a free cookie with an entree purchase on both Tuesday (Election Day) and Wednesday. This offer was available at participating locations. - Corner Bakery Cafe offered a free brewed or cold brewed coffee of any size with a purchase, requiring the customer to show an "I Voted" sticker. - California Tortilla offered a free order of chips and queso with any purchase. Customers simply needed to say "I Voted" to redeem the offer. - Miller's Ale House (participating locations) allowed patrons to say they voted and receive their first beer for $1. - Krispy Kreme provided rewards members with an email coupon to purchase two dozen doughnuts for $13 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Options included two dozen original glazed or one dozen glazed and one dozen assorted. New members could join the loyalty program to receive a free doughnut and future offers. - Jersey Mike's Subs offered $2 off any regular sub with a coupon on Tuesday, which was the final day of the chain's National Sandwich Day deal. The coupon was distributed to email club members and posted on the chain's Facebook page. - Jimboy's Tacos offered Ground Beef Nachos for $5.50 at participating locations on Tuesday, coinciding with National Nacho Day. - Lemonade (California-based chain) offered a free lemonade with any purchase for customers wearing an "I Voted" sticker.
Local and Regional Establishments: - Fatz Southern Kitchen offered a free Fatz Famous Sweet Tea with the purchase of an entrée and an "I Voted" sticker. - Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop offered $1 off any sub on Tuesday for customers showing a voting sticker. - 1933 Group (bars in Los Angeles) offered $1 Moscow Mules or Old Fashioneds from 5 to 7 p.m. for anyone with an "I Voted" sticker.
Non-Food Promotions
Chameleon Cold-Brew offered a voucher for a free 10-ounce Chameleon Cold-Brew. To receive the freebie, users had to post a selfie with their "I Voted" sticker on Instagram, tag @ChameleonColdBrew, and use the hashtag #FuelTheVote.
Legal Considerations and Context
Promotions offering free items in exchange for voting exist in a legal gray area. According to federal law, it is illegal to offer free items (including food or drink) to people upon proof of voting when federal candidates are on the ballot. Consequently, many businesses adapt their promotions to avoid direct exchange. For example, the Field Museum in Chicago originally required a voting sticker for free admission but changed its offer to free admission for anyone in Illinois to comply with legal standards. Shake Shack's St. Louis general manager noted that the company's national free fries promotion was intended to encourage guests to "stand for something good" by getting out and voting, highlighting the motivational aspect of these incentives rather than a direct transaction.
Conclusion
The 2018 Election Day saw a coordinated effort by brands to facilitate voter access and participation through transportation discounts and food incentives. While the legal framework restricts direct exchanges for voting, the availability of promo codes and purchase-required offers provided widespread access to these promotions. The offers detailed above were valid on November 6, 2018, and were subject to participation by specific locations and terms set by the individual providers.