Election Day 2016 saw numerous businesses across the United States offering free products, discounts, and special promotions to individuals who demonstrated proof of voting. These promotional offers were designed to encourage civic participation and reward voters on Tuesday, November 8. The availability of these freebies varied by location, brand, and specific terms, often requiring an "I Voted" sticker or a voter registration card. While many of these offers were specific to the 2016 election cycle, they serve as a historical example of how brands utilize promotional marketing during significant national events.
Food and Beverage Promotions
Several national food chains and local restaurants offered free items to voters on Election Day. These promotions generally required customers to present an "I Voted" sticker at the point of sale.
Krispy Kreme Participating Krispy Kreme locations offered customers one free doughnut of their choice on Election Day, November 8, 2016. No coupon was necessary for this offer. The promotion was available at participating shops across the United States. While the brand is known for its "Hot Now" signs and fresh doughnuts, this specific offer was tied directly to the act of voting.
Marco's Pizza Marco's Pizza provided a free medium one-topping pizza to voters on Election Day. To redeem this offer, customers were required to visit the Marco's Pizza website to obtain a voucher. This digital voucher method allowed the brand to track engagement while providing a substantial free food item to voters.
Great American Cookies Great American Cookies offered a free cookie to customers on Election Day. The company's executive vice president, David Kaiser, stated that the promotion was intended to end the election season on a positive note, regardless of political affiliation. This offer was available to anyone showing proof of voting.
Ben & Jerry's Ben & Jerry's offered free scoops of ice cream at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on November 8, from 8 p.m. to midnight. This specific location was chosen due to the company's involvement in the "Democracy is in Your Hands" campaign and the launch of their "Empower Mint" flavor in the state to raise awareness for voter rights.
Firehouse Subs Firehouse Subs offered a free medium drink to patrons who presented an "I Voted" sticker at participating locations.
Noodles & Company Noodles & Company engaged voters with a two-part offer. Customers were asked to vote for their favorite mac and cheese variety online, after which they could print a coupon for a buy-one-get-one-free deal on regular bowls.
Bob Evans Bob Evans provided voters with a coupon for 30% off their entire order on Election Day.
Chuck E. Cheese Chuck E. Cheese offered a coupon code (5253) for a free personal pepperoni pizza with any pizza purchase.
East Coast Wings and Grill East Coast Wings and Grill offered five free honey BBQ chicken wings with an entree purchase on Election Day.
Paulaner NYC Restaurant This New York City brewery and German restaurant offered free red, white, and blue popcorn on Election Day. Additionally, they hosted a "buy one, get your 2nd Election Day Beer for Free" promotion and offered free games and contests with prizes for guessing swing state outcomes correctly.
7-Eleven 7-Eleven offered free coffee via their mobile app on Election Day.
Retail and Service Promotions
Beyond food and beverage, several service-based companies offered free access or products to voters.
Gold's Gym Gold's Gym opened its doors for free nationwide to anyone who brought in a valid voter's registration card or an "I Voted" sticker. This promotion encouraged physical activity alongside civic duty.
Zipcar Zipcar offered more than 7,000 cars for free on Election Day to assist voters in traveling to their polling locations. Reservations were required through the Zipcar website or mobile app.
Sling TV Sling TV provided access to 25 channels absolutely free on Election Day to allow users to watch live election coverage.
Go To Meeting Individuals who signed up for Go To Meeting by Election Day could use the web conferencing service free for 30 days.
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows Located in Santa Monica, California, this hotel offered guests a complimentary glass of wine or beer if they showed proof of voting. The offer was available at the FIG Restaurant and Lobby Lounge, featuring election-themed cocktails.
Regional and Local Offers
Some offers were specific to certain regions, particularly North Carolina, which was a key swing state in the 2016 election.
Ben & Jerry's (North Carolina Specific) As noted, the Ben & Jerry's free scoop event was specifically held at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. The company's focus on the state was part of a broader campaign regarding voter rights.
North Carolina Education Context While not a consumer freebie, Source [2] highlights the significant political context of the 2016 election in North Carolina. The election results had the potential to impact public school funding, teacher pay, and education policy. The state had a contentious political environment regarding education, with the Republican-led legislature and Democratic Governor Roy Cooper at odds. This context underscores the importance of voter participation in that specific state during that election cycle.
General Redemption Requirements
The majority of the offers documented required specific proof of voting. The most common requirement was an "I Voted" sticker provided at polling locations. Some businesses, such as Gold's Gym and the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, accepted a voter registration card as proof. For digital offers like the Marco's Pizza voucher or Sling TV access, users likely needed to sign up or visit a specific landing page, though the source material does not detail the exact digital verification process for these specific brands.
Conclusion
Election Day 2016 provided a variety of freebies and discounts across the United States, ranging from free doughnuts and pizza to free gym access and television streaming. These offers were largely conditional upon proof of voting, such as an "I Voted" sticker. The promotions were distributed among major national chains like Krispy Kreme and Gold's Gym, as well as regional entities like Ben & Jerry's in North Carolina. While these specific offers expired following the November 8, 2016 election, they represent a recurring trend where businesses use promotional marketing to engage with consumers during major civic events.