Election Day 2018 saw a wide array of businesses offering free items, discounts, and special promotions to individuals who participated in the democratic process. These offers were designed to encourage voter turnout and reward civic engagement. The promotions varied significantly, ranging from complimentary food and beverages to discounted transportation services. Many of the deals required proof of voting, typically in the form of an "I Voted" sticker, while others relied on promo codes or simply asking for the offer. Availability was often limited to specific locations or participating stores, and many promotions were valid only on Election Day itself, with some extending into the following day.
The types of freebies and deals available covered multiple categories, including food and drink, transportation, and retail merchandise. Food and beverage offers were the most prevalent, with major chains and local establishments participating. Transportation incentives included free rides on public transit and discounted rideshare services, specifically aimed at making it easier for voters to travel to and from polling places. Retail brands also joined in, offering physical items like tote bags and pins, or closing their websites to encourage voting.
Food and Beverage Promotions
A significant number of restaurants and food brands offered free items or discounts to voters. These promotions were generally available in-store and required customers to present an "I Voted" sticker or verbally confirm they had voted.
Donuts and Pastries Krispy Kreme offered a free fall donut with any purchase on Election Day. For online orders, a specific promo code was required to receive the free treat. Additionally, during past elections, Krispy Kreme had given away free treats without a purchase, and for the 2018 election, loyalty program members received an email coupon for two dozen doughnuts at a discounted price of $13. The offer allowed customers to choose between two dozen original glazed doughnuts or one dozen glazed and one dozen assorted. Baked by Melissa provided a free cupcake at their physical stores to customers with an "I Voted" sticker. They also offered a 10 percent discount on online orders for two days using a specific promo code.
Sandwiches and Savory Food Multiple sandwich shops had promotions for Election Day. Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop gave customers $1 off any sub when they showed a voting sticker. Jersey Mike's Subs offered a $2 discount on any regular sub with a coupon, which was distributed to email club members and posted on the company's Facebook page. Potbelly Sandwich Shop initially required an "I Voted" sticker for a free cookie but later updated the promotion to require only a verbal request for the cookie with any purchase. This offer was valid for two days at participating locations. McAlister’s Deli had a "buy one sandwich, get one free" deal for rewards members, valid for several days around the election.
Other savory food deals included California Tortilla, which gave a free order of chips and queso with any purchase when a customer said "I voted." This offer was valid in-store only. Rubio’s Coastal Grill offered a discounted meal, pairing an Original Fish Taco with a Mexican or craft beer for $5. They also had à la carte options, such as a $2 Fish Taco Especial and a $1.75 Original Fish Taco. All guests received an "I Taco’d" sticker. Jimboy's Tacos celebrated National Nacho Day on Election Day with Ground Beef Nachos for $5.50 at participating locations. Twin Peaks offered a free order of chips and queso with the purchase of a beverage for customers who brought in a voting sticker. Fatz Southern Kitchen provided a free Famous Sweet Tea with the purchase of an entrée for customers with an "I Voted" sticker.
Coffee and Beverages Chameleon Cold-Brew offered a voucher for a free 10-ounce drink. To receive the voucher, customers had to post a selfie with their "I Voted" sticker on Instagram, tag the company, and use a specific hashtag. Corner Bakery Cafe gave a free brewed or cold brewed coffee of any size with a purchase and an "I Voted" sticker. Lemonade, a California-based chain, offered a free lemonade with any purchase for customers wearing an "I Voted" sticker.
Alcoholic Beverages Miller's Ale House had a promotion for a $1 first beer for customers who said they voted. The offer was valid for a pint of a domestic draft beer or a non-alcoholic beverage at participating locations in several states. The deal was limited to one per guest and ended at 9 p.m. in Virginia. Bars owned by the 1933 Group in Los Angeles offered $1 Moscow Mules or Old Fashioneds from 5 to 7 p.m. for anyone with an "I Voted" sticker.
Other Food-Related Offers Bobo’s offered a coupon for a free vegan, gluten-free oat bar. To receive the coupon, customers had to share that they voted on social media by tagging the company on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and using a specific hashtag. The coupon was mailed to the customer, and the offer was available while supplies lasted.
Transportation and Travel Incentives
To facilitate travel to polling places, several transportation companies offered free or discounted services on Election Day. These offers included bike-sharing programs, public transit, ridesharing apps, and car-sharing services.
Bike-Sharing Motivate, a bike-sharing program, offered a free day pass with the code BIKETOVOTE. For Divvy, a specific city within Motivate, the code was VOTE18. In Portland, where a vote-by-mail system is used, BIKETOWN riders could use the code BIKE2VOTE to get 30 minutes of free ride time on Tuesday. Lime also offered free rides on its bikes and scooters for up to 30 minutes to and from polling places using the promo code LIME2VOTE18.
Public Transit Several public transit systems across the nation offered free fares on Election Day. These included: * Los Angeles Metro system * Columbia, South Carolina's COMET bus service * Houston Metro * Greensboro Transit Authority in North Carolina * Long Beach Transit * Baldwin Park Transit * Pasadena Transit * Santa Clarita Transit
Ridesharing and Car-Sharing Uber provided $10 off a single ride to the polls with the promo code VOTE2018. Lyft offered 50 percent off rides to most voting locations. Zipcar offered $20 toward a future trip for members who made an Election Day rental.
Retail and Other Promotions
Beyond food and transportation, other types of businesses offered unique promotions to engage with voters.
Apparel and Accessories ModCloth, an apparel brand, took a different approach by shutting down its website and FitShop stores in Austin, Texas, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. on Election Day to encourage customers and employees to vote. The following day, customers could show a "I Voted" sticker or a social media post to store associates to receive a special limited-edition "I Voted" pin and a ModCloth tote bag.
Arcades and Entertainment Dave & Buster’s offered games at half price all day, encouraging customers to visit the arcade after stopping at the polls.
Community Events In Houston, the Southwest Houston Fall Fair Alief Votes organized a fair with free food, music, and other events at the Chinese Civic Center.
Conclusion
Election Day 2018 featured a diverse range of freebies and deals from businesses across the country. The offers were primarily concentrated in the food and beverage sector, with many popular chains providing free items or discounts to customers who showed proof of voting. Transportation services also played a key role, offering free or discounted rides to make it easier for citizens to get to their polling places. Retailers contributed with unique promotions, including free merchandise and website closures to promote civic duty. These initiatives collectively served as a widespread corporate effort to acknowledge and reward voter participation.