Election Day 2016 Promotional Offers and Voter Incentives

The 2016 United States Presidential Election saw a variety of businesses offering promotional incentives to voters, ranging from free food items to discounted services. These offers were generally structured to reward individuals for showing an "I Voted" sticker or for mentioning participation in the election process. The promotions spanned multiple categories, including quick-service restaurants, casual dining, fitness centers, and transportation services. While many brands utilized these promotions as marketing opportunities, legal experts noted potential concerns regarding federal laws prohibiting the provision of goods or services in exchange for voting.

Most offers were valid only on November 8, 2016, and required specific actions to redeem, such as downloading a mobile application, presenting physical proof of voting, or utilizing specific promotional codes. The availability of these offers varied by location, with national chains often leaving participation up to individual franchise owners.

Food and Beverage Promotions

The most prevalent category of Election Day incentives involved food and beverage establishments. These ranged from free donuts and cookies to discounted meals and specific menu items created for the occasion.

Quick-Service and Bakery Chains

Krispy Kreme: Participating locations offered a free donut to customers who presented an "I Voted" sticker. This offer was widely reported across multiple sources, including Fox5 Atlanta and ABC11.
7-Eleven: The convenience chain provided a free cup of coffee to customers who downloaded the 7-Eleven mobile app. This offer was available on November 8, 2016.
Great American Cookies: Customers with an "I Voted" sticker could receive a free regular cookie at participating locations.
Firehouse Subs: This chain offered a free medium drink to voters who showed their "I Voted" sticker.
Noodles & Company: The company encouraged voters to cast a vote for their favorite mac and cheese online, after which they could print a coupon for a buy-one-get-one-free offer on regular bowls.

Casual and Full-Service Dining

Chuck E. Cheese: Families could receive a free personal pepperoni pizza with the purchase of any pizza. This required mentioning coupon code #5253 or simply telling the cashier that they had voted.
BurgerFi: This chain offered a "Conflicted Burger" for $5. The item consisted of one Angus beef patty and one veggie patty, reflecting the contentious nature of the election cycle. The standard price for this item was reportedly $8 to $9.
P.F. Chang's: A 20% discount was available on orders placed online or over the phone using the promo code "Vote20."
Bob Evans: Voters could receive a coupon for 30% off their entire order.
East Coast Wings and Grill: This establishment offered five free honey BBQ chicken wings with the purchase of an entree.
World of Beer: Guests could purchase their first beer for $1 at participating taverns.
Lofty Pursuits: Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this business offered a free junior scoop of ice cream to customers with an "I Voted" sticker.
Amoeba Records: Although primarily a music retailer, Amoeba Records offered a food-adjacent discount of $3 off any item regularly priced at $5 or more for customers showing an "I Voted" sticker or voting stub.

Fitness and Wellness Offers

Businesses in the health and wellness sector also participated in Election Day promotions, offering free access to facilities to encourage voter turnout.

Gold's Gym: Participating locations offered free day access to individuals who presented a valid "I Voted" sticker at the front desk. This offer was reported by multiple sources, including WTOP and Fox5 Atlanta.
YMCA: Several reports indicated that the YMCA offered free childcare services to parents on Election Day, allowing them time to vote. The Pasadena YMCA specifically offered free childcare from 8 a.m. to noon and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on November 8, 2016. It was noted that other YMCAs might have offered similar services, and voters were advised to contact their local branch for details.

Transportation and Service Discounts

Service-based businesses offered incentives focused on logistics and convenience, such as transportation to the polls and remote work tools.

Zipcar: In an effort to assist voters with transportation, Zipcar made over 7,000 vehicles available for free on Election Day. The promotion ran from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Users were required to reserve the vehicles online or through the Zipcar app in advance, as availability was limited.
Uber: First-time users could utilize the promo code "VOTETODAY" to receive $20 off a ride to the polls.
Go To Meeting: The web conferencing service offered a free 30-day trial to users who signed up by Election Day.

Legal Considerations and Eligibility

While these promotions were popular among consumers, they raised questions regarding the legality of offering goods in exchange for voting. Federal law prohibits individuals or companies from providing "any pecuniary goods or services in exchange for voting." Despite this, the vast majority of these offers were structured as rewards for the act of voting rather than direct payments. For example, most required the presentation of an "I Voted" sticker, which serves as proof of participation after the fact, rather than a pre-condition of payment.

Eligibility for these offers was generally straightforward. Most required the customer to be present at the participating location on November 8, 2016. Specific requirements included:

Physical Proof: Presenting an "I Voted" sticker was the most common requirement (e.g., Krispy Kreme, Gold's Gym, Great American Cookies).
Coupon Codes: Mentioning a specific code or phrase at the point of sale (e.g., Chuck E. Cheese #5253, P.F. Chang's "Vote20").
Digital Action: Downloading a specific mobile app (e.g., 7-Eleven) or signing up for a service online (e.g., Go To Meeting, Zipcar).
Purchase Requirements: Some offers were conditional on making a separate purchase (e.g., Chuck E. Cheese required the purchase of a pizza to receive the free personal pizza).

Geographic Availability

The availability of these offers was not uniform across the United States. While national chains like Krispy Kyme and Gold's Gym were reported to have participating locations, the fine print often stated that participation was voluntary for franchise owners. Consequently, consumers were advised to verify with their local outlets before traveling to redeem an offer. Local news outlets, such as the Tallahassee Democrat and LAist, highlighted specific businesses in their regions that were participating, indicating that smaller, independent businesses also joined in the promotional activities.

Conclusion

The 2016 Election Day freebies and discounts represented a significant marketing trend where businesses leveraged civic duty to drive foot traffic and brand engagement. The offers were diverse, covering food, fitness, and transportation, and generally required minimal effort from consumers to redeem. However, the reliance on physical "I Voted" stickers and the specific timing of the offers (November 8, 2016) limited the accessibility of these promotions to voters who visited specific locations on that day. While the legal framework surrounding such incentives remains complex, the 2016 election demonstrated a widespread adoption of these promotional strategies by major brands.