Election Day 2018 in the Bay Area featured a variety of freebies and deals aimed at encouraging voter participation and providing incentives for casting a ballot. These offers primarily focused on transportation to polling places and food and beverage discounts at local establishments. The promotions were available on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, with many requiring proof of voting, such as an "I Voted" sticker or a voter information card. However, it is important to note that offering free items in exchange for proof of voting is technically illegal under federal law when federal candidates are on the ballot. This led some businesses to adjust their promotions, such as removing the requirement to show a voting sticker. Despite this, numerous local businesses and transportation services in the Bay Area and beyond participated in providing these incentives.
Transportation and Ride Discounts
Several transportation options were available to help voters get to and from their polling places on Election Day. These included bike-share programs and public transit systems offering free or discounted rides.
- Bike-Share Programs: For most Motivate bike-share programs, the code BIKETOVOTE provided a free day pass. In specific locations, alternative codes were used: for Divvy, the code VOTE18 was valid, and in Portland, which operates a vote-by-mail system, BIKETOWN riders could use the code BIKE2VOTE to receive 30 minutes of free ride time on Tuesday.
- Public Transit Systems: Various transit systems across the nation offered free rides on Election Day. These included Los Angeles' Metro system, the COMET bus service in Columbia, South Carolina, the Metro in Houston, and the Greensboro Transit Authority in North Carolina, which provided free fares system-wide.
- Ride-Sharing Services: In the Bay Area, ride-sharing services offered discounted rides to polling locations. Uber provided $10 off a single ride to the polls using the promotional code VOTE2018 in the app, requiring the most recent version of the Uber application. Lyft offered 50 percent off rides to the polls; users needed to visit a specific website (partnered with Buzzfeed), enter their zip code, copy the coupon code, and paste it into the "Promos" section of the Lyft app.
- Local Transit Authorities: In the Tampa Bay area, local transit authorities also participated. HART (Hillsborough Area Regional Transit) provided free round trips to and from polling places from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for those showing a valid voter information card. Similarly, PSTA (Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority) offered free trips to polling locations upon presentation of a voter ID card.
Food and Beverage Deals
Local restaurants, bars, and food businesses offered a range of discounts and free items to voters. These deals were often valid on Election Day or extended to the following day, and most required an "I Voted" sticker or a verbal statement of having voted.
- Baked by Melissa: Customers could visit a store and receive a free cupcake with an "I Voted" sticker on Election Day. Additionally, a 10 percent discount was available on online orders at www.bakedbymelissa.com on Tuesday and Wednesday using the promo code IVOTED2018.
- Bobo’s: This brand offered a coupon for a free vegan, gluten-free oat bar in exchange for sharing voting activity on social media. To receive the coupon by mail, users were required to tag @eatbobos on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and use the hashtag #GetOatTheVote. The offer was valid while supplies lasted.
- California Tortilla: Voters could say "I voted" in-store on Tuesday to receive a free order of chips and queso with any purchase.
- Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop: Showing a voting sticker earned customers $1 off any sub on Tuesday.
- Chameleon Cold-Brew: This company provided a voucher for a free 10-ounce Chameleon Cold-Brew when customers posted a selfie with their "I Voted" sticker on Instagram.
- Miller’s Ale House: At participating locations, customers who said they voted on Tuesday could purchase their first beer for $1. The offer was also valid for a non-alcoholic beverage and could be used only once per guest.
- Seven Stills on Nob Hill: This taproom offered $5 Seven Stills beers, $5 glasses of pinot grigio and cabernet sauvignon, and special snacks all day. To take advantage of the deal, customers were required to wear an "I Voted" sticker or bring a ballot stub.
- Wursthall: Although not a watch party, this German-inspired beer hall in the Bay Area offered nearly free beer on Election Day. By telling the server the secret password "Wurst Vote," customers could get a Kolsch or soft drink for $0.18.
- Easy Creole: This establishment provided a sweet discount for voters; bringing an "I Voted" sticker on Election Day or November 7 allowed customers to get any meal for $10.
Election Night Watch Parties and Events
In addition to daytime deals, several Bay Area bars, cafes, and restaurants hosted watch parties where election results were screened live. Some of these venues also included special events or discounts tied to the occasion.
- Finn Town: This venue hosted a "Blast from the Past" TV Dinner Night starting at 6 p.m., where patrons could watch results while dining on Salisbury steak.
- El Rio: For those primarily interested in San Francisco elections, El Rio was a key spot. The SF League of Pissed Off Voters monitored San Francisco returns and updated flip charts throughout the night, beginning at 8 p.m.
- Oasis: This SoMa gay club opened early at 6:30 p.m. for friends to gather and watch national results. At 8:30 p.m., the space became the official party for the San Francisco Democratic Party.
- Spats Berkeley: This location hosted a watch party organized by Indivisible Berkeley, Sister District Project CA-13, Together We Will Albany-Berkeley, and Flip the 14, starting at 6 p.m.
Legal Considerations and Adjustments to Offers
It is noteworthy that the legal landscape surrounding Election Day freebies influenced some promotions. Federal law prohibits offering free items in exchange for proof of voting when federal candidates are on the ballot. A Chicago museum, the Field Museum, originally required a voting sticker for free admission but changed its offer to free admission for anyone in Illinois, removing the voting requirement. This adjustment reflects the legal sensitivity of such promotions, even as many businesses continued to offer deals tied to civic participation.
Conclusion
Election Day 2018 in the Bay Area provided voters with multiple opportunities to access free or discounted transportation and food through various promotions. These offers, while widespread, were subject to legal considerations that sometimes led to adjustments in how they were structured. The availability of bike-share codes, transit discounts, and restaurant deals highlights the community's effort to support voter engagement. However, consumers were advised to verify offer details with local locations and understand the legal context of such promotions.