Election Day 2016 presented an opportunity for businesses across the United States, including the St. Louis area, to engage with voters through various promotional offers and freebies. While the primary purpose of November 8, 2016, was civic participation, many brands utilized the day to offer incentives ranging from free food to discounted transportation. These promotions were designed to reward customers for exercising their right to vote, often requiring the presentation of an "I Voted" sticker as proof of participation. Although the specific legal and ethical implications of such offers were occasionally debated, they became a notable aspect of the election day experience for many consumers.
In St. Louis specifically, national chains with local presence made these offers available to residents. The availability of these deals often depended on specific locations participating in the national promotions. For example, the Kentucky Oaks Mall location in Paducah was noted for participating in cookie giveaways, suggesting a regional approach to these national campaigns. The following sections detail the specific freebies and discounts available during the 2016 election cycle.
Food and Beverage Freebies
The most common category of Election Day freebies in 2016 involved food and beverage items. Several major restaurant and food chains offered free items to customers who presented an "I Voted" sticker.
Pizza and Cookies
Marco's Pizza offered a significant incentive for voters in 2016. The chain provided a voucher for a free Medium 1-Topping Pizza on Election Day. To access this offer, voters were required to click on a specific link provided by the company on the day of the election. Additionally, Marco's Pizza ran a social media campaign where fans could enter to win four years' worth of free pizza by liking their Facebook page.
Great American Cookies also participated in the Election Day celebration by offering a free cookie to anyone wearing an "I Voted" sticker. This offer was available at specific locations, including the store situated at Kentucky Oaks Mall in Paducah, which serves the broader St. Louis region.
Doughnuts and Beverages
Krispy Kreme was another major participant in the 2016 Election Day promotions. The doughnut chain offered a free doughnut to customers who wore their "I Voted" sticker. This offer was available at participating locations nationwide. In some instances, Krispy Kreme locations also provided "I Voted" stickers to customers who had voted early or submitted an absentee ballot, ensuring that early voters could also participate in the promotion.
Starbucks engaged in a different type of promotion. By wearing an "I Voted" sticker into any Starbucks location, customers could receive a free "Indivisible" bracelet. This offer was available while supplies lasted and served as a non-food alternative to the typical election day freebies.
Firehouse Subs offered a free medium drink with no purchase necessary on Election Day. Similar to other offers, this required the customer to display their "I Voted" sticker.
Johnny Rockets, a 1950s diner-style chain, offered customers one free shake with an in-store purchase on Election Day. To redeem this offer, guests simply had to mention the "Free Shake" offer at the register at participating locations.
Transportation and Retail Discounts
While food freebies were the most prevalent, other sectors such as transportation and retail also offered promotions tied to the 2016 election.
Rideshare and Travel
Rideshare companies provided significant discounts to facilitate travel to polling places. Uber offered riders 50% off trips to their polling place, with a discount cap of up to $10. The Uber app also included a feature to help users find the nearest polling place. Uber Eats offered 25% off orders up to $15, with a $25 minimum order requirement, available from 6:00 PM local time on November 5 to 7:00 AM local time on November 6.
Lyft also offered a 50% discount (up to $10) on Election Day rides to the polls. Users were instructed to preload the ride code "VOTE24" on or before November 5 to utilize the discount. Lyft noted that its program had helped 3 million people get to the polls since its launch.
Hertz, a car rental company, offered a "drive the vote" deal. This promotion provided one free day of rental when customers rented two or more days between October 21 and November 5, 2016.
Retail and Furniture
IKEA participated in the 2016 Election Day promotions by offering free frozen yogurt at participating locations. This offer was available to customers visiting the furniture retailer on November 5.
Yogurtland, a frozen yogurt chain, offered a 15% discount to in-store customers who showed their "I Voted" sticker on Election Day. With over 200 locations across the country, this promotion was widely accessible, though customers were advised to call ahead to confirm participation.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
It is important to note the legal context surrounding Election Day promotions. While these freebies and discounts were widely offered, there are laws prohibiting the practice of rewarding individuals specifically for voting or paying people to register to vote. The offers described in the source material were structured as general promotions and discounts available to anyone with an "I Voted" sticker, rather than direct payments for the act of voting. This distinction allowed companies to participate without violating election laws.
St. Louis Voting Experience in 2016
While the source material focuses primarily on the commercial freebies, it also touches upon the voting experience in specific locations, including St. Louis County. In 2016, St. Louis County utilized an online tool that allowed poll workers to report the number of voters in line at polling locations. This data provided insights into wait times and voting patterns throughout the day.
According to reports from St. Louis County election officials, the 2016 election went "pretty darn smooth." While there were lines, particularly in the morning, voters were generally patient, and lines moved steadily. Early and absentee voting were noted as factors that helped lessen problems on Election Day. The data collected indicated a distribution of voting times throughout the day, showing that while waits existed, they were manageable.
Conclusion
Election Day 2016 offered a variety of freebies and promotions for consumers in St. Louis and across the nation. From free pizza and doughnuts to discounted rideshares and frozen yogurt, businesses used the civic event as a marketing opportunity. The "I Voted" sticker served as the key to unlocking these offers, symbolizing both civic duty and consumer reward. While the specific offers from 2016 have expired, the tradition of Election Day freebies continues in various forms during subsequent election cycles, driven by similar motivations to engage with the public and celebrate democratic participation.