Election Day in 2016 provided a unique opportunity for consumers to access various promotional offers and freebies across Houston and the greater Texas area. While Election Day is not a federal holiday, many businesses chose to offer discounts, free products, and special access to voters as a way to encourage civic participation and celebrate the democratic process. The available source material highlights a variety of offers ranging from food and beverage discounts to fitness access and transportation assistance, specifically within the context of the 2016 election cycle.
These promotions were designed to alleviate the stress of Election Day and provide small treats to those engaging in the voting process. The offers often required specific actions from consumers, such as presenting an "I Voted" sticker, using a mobile application, or entering a promo code. The following guide details the specific freebies and deals available during this period, alongside contextual information regarding voting logistics and accessibility in the Houston area.
Election Day Food and Beverage Freebies
One of the most prominent categories of Election Day freebies in 2016 was food and beverages. Several major national chains and local favorites offered incentives to voters. These offers generally required proof of voting or specific purchasing behaviors.
Krispy Kreme Krispy Kreme offered a highly popular promotion during the 2016 election cycle. Voters who visited participating Krispy Kreme locations could receive a free doughnut. The eligibility requirement was straightforward: customers needed to show a valid "I voted" sticker to redeem the offer. The company’s global chief brand officer, David Skena, stated that the promotion was intended to celebrate voters and the democracy. The report notes that Krispy Kreme has a history of such promotions, having previously given away doughnuts to individuals vaccinated against Covid-19, with a total of 1.5 million doughnuts given away by June 2021.
7-Eleven 7-Eleven provided a free cup of coffee at participating shops. Unlike the Krispy Krede offer, this promotion required the use of the 7-Eleven mobile app to redeem the free coffee.
White Castle White Castle offered a free gallon of iced tea with the purchase of a Crave Case. To access this deal, customers were required to present a coupon in the restaurant or use the promo code "USA" if placing an order online.
California Tortilla California Tortilla engaged voters with a verbal password-style promotion. Customers who said "Make queso great again," "I’m with queso," or "I vote for queso" while ordering could receive free chips and queso. This offer was valid with any purchase.
Firehouse Subs Firehouse Subs offered a free medium drink to customers who presented a valid "I Voted" sticker at participating locations.
&pizza &pizza extended a free drink offer to anyone who cast their vote, though specific redemption details regarding proof of voting were not elaborated upon in the source material.
Bob Evans Bob Evans provided a 30% discount on entire dine-in or carryout orders. This offer required the use of a coupon.
World of Beer World of Beer offered a promotional price of $1 for the first beer to guests in all taverns on Election Day.
Non-Food Election Day Promotions
Beyond dining establishments, other businesses offered services and access free of charge to support voters on Election Day.
Zipcar Zipcar launched a specific campaign to assist with transportation to the polls. On Election Day, over 7,000 Zipcars were made free for members to use between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time. The promotion, tagged as #DRIVEtheVOTE, allowed members to reserve cars starting at 9 a.m. on November 3. The goal was to facilitate travel to the polls during the final hours of voting.
Gold's Gym Gold's Gym offered free access to local facilities on Election Day. Individuals with a valid "I Voted" sticker could enter the gym free of charge.
Voting Logistics and Accessibility in Houston (2016)
While the primary focus of the available data is on consumer freebies, there is significant information regarding the voting environment in Houston and Harris County during the 2016 election cycle. This context is valuable for understanding the environment in which these freebies were offered.
Early Voting Records Harris County set multiple records during the early voting period leading up to the 2016 general election. On the second day of early voting, the county shattered the previous record set in 2016, with 100,000 ballots cast by 5:20 p.m. This broke the previous day-two record of 73,542. The first day of early voting also saw a record turnout, with over 128,000 people voting, surpassing the 2016 figures.
By late October 2016, nearly 1 million people had voted in Harris County, breaking the 2016 early-voting record. The Harris County Clerk’s Office actively promoted early voting locations and hours to manage this high volume.
Expanded Voting Locations To accommodate the high turnout, the Harris County Clerk’s Office expanded the number of early voting centers. In 2016, there were 40 early voting centers, but this number increased to 122 by the 2020 election cycle. A notable addition to the roster of polling places was the Houston Food Bank, which became one of the non-traditional voting locations. The Houston Food Bank proactively reached out to the clerk’s office to serve as a polling location, aiming to increase accessibility.
Voter Engagement Initiatives Various organizations partnered to encourage voting. The Harris County Clerk’s Office collaborated with the Houston Rockets and MTV for the inaugural Vote Early Day at the Toyota Center. Additionally, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner joined students at the University of Houston, Texas Southern University, and Rice University to announce the Mayor’s Early Vote College Challenge, aiming to inspire college students to vote early.
Election Day Issues Despite the high engagement, there were logistical challenges reported. In Denton County, Texas, 11 of 22 electronic voting machines were improperly coded for Election Day rather than early voting, potentially causing confusion for voters attempting to cast ballots early.
Statewide Context The source material also touches on broader Texas election context. All Texas House seats and 16 state senator seats were up for election in 2016. Additionally, there were reports regarding the proper coding of voting machines and the high volume of ballots cast across the state's largest counties, exceeding 2 million in early voting.
Conclusion
In 2016, Election Day served as a day of both civic duty and consumer opportunity in Houston and across Texas. Businesses such as Krispy Kreme, 7-Eleven, and Zipcar provided tangible benefits to voters, ranging from free food to transportation assistance. Simultaneously, the voting infrastructure in Harris County was tested by record-breaking turnout, leading to expanded polling locations and active voter engagement campaigns by local government and organizations. For consumers and voters, the intersection of these offers and the voting environment created a unique landscape of availability and accessibility during the election cycle.