Election Day 2018 saw a widespread trend among American businesses offering promotional incentives to encourage civic participation. Brands across the food, transportation, and retail sectors launched initiatives designed to reward voters for visiting the polls on November 6. These offers ranged from complimentary food items and discounted ride-sharing services to free museum admissions and exclusive merchandise. The primary method for accessing most of these rewards was displaying the "I Voted" sticker provided at polling locations, while others relied on specific promo codes or verbal affirmations of voting.
This comprehensive guide details the various freebies and discounts available during the 2018 midterm elections, outlining the specific requirements for redemption and the geographic availability of these offers.
Food and Beverage Promotions
A significant portion of Election Day 2018 promotions centered on food and beverage establishments. These offers were designed to provide voters with a quick treat or meal before or after casting their ballots. Participating brands ranged from national fast-food chains to local coffee shops and bakeries.
Baked by Melissa offered a complimentary cupcake at their physical retail locations on November 6 to customers presenting an "I Voted" sticker. For customers unable to visit a store, the brand provided a 10 percent discount on online orders placed on November 6 and November 7 using the promo code "IVOTED2018."
Potbelly Sandwich Shop provided a free cookie with any purchase on November 6 and November 7 at participating locations. According to the promotion details, customers were instructed to simply ask for the cookie, eliminating the need to show a sticker.
California Tortilla rewarded customers who verbally stated "I voted" with a free order of chips and queso with any purchase. This offer was valid for in-store dining only on November 6.
Shake Shack offered free fries with any purchase. To redeem this, customers could either show an "I Voted" sticker to the cashier or enter the promo code "ivoted" within the Shake Shack mobile app.
Corner Bakery Cafe provided a free hand-roasted brewed coffee or cold brew with any purchase for customers wearing an "I Voted" sticker.
Black Seed Bagels in New York City offered a complimentary Stumptown coffee with any purchase, provided the customer showed an "I Voted" sticker.
Birch Coffee, also in New York City, offered a free drip coffee without requiring a purchase.
Miller's Ale House offered a $1 first beer at participating locations in Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. This offer was valid for a pint of a domestic draft beer or a non-alcoholic beverage and required the customer to say they voted. The offer was valid until 9 p.m. in Virginia.
Twin Peaks offered a free order of chips and queso with the purchase of a beverage on November 6 for customers bringing a voting sticker.
Rubio’s Coastal Grill offered discounted menu items rather than a strictly free item. Customers could get an Original Fish Taco paired with any Mexican or craft beer for $5, or choose an à la carte option such as a $2 Fish Taco Especial or a $1.75 Original Fish Taco on November 6. All guests received an "I Taco’d" sticker.
Lemonade, a California-based chain, offered a free lemonade with any purchase for customers wearing an "I Voted" sticker.
Joe Coffee Company in NYC provided free 12oz cups of drip coffee to customers showing an "I Voted" sticker.
Jeni's Ice Creams offered an extra scoop of ice cream for free on Election Day.
Baskin-Robbins offered a BOGO for 99 cents deal on ice cream cones.
Chick-fil-A reportedly offered chicken sandwiches for $2.70 to customers providing proof of voting, though the specific method of proof was not detailed in all sources.
Bobo’s offered a coupon for a free vegan, gluten-free oat bar. To receive the coupon, customers had to tag @eatbobos on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using the hashtag #GetOatTheVote. The coupon was mailed to the participant.
Chameleon Cold-Brew offered a voucher for a free 10-ounce product when customers posted a selfie with their "I Voted" sticker on Instagram.
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop offered $1 off any sub on November 6 for customers showing a voting sticker.
Pizza to the Polls operated as a non-profit organization that sent free pizza delivery to polling stations with long lines. Voters could report their polling place online to trigger a delivery.
Transportation and Travel Discounts
Several transportation services offered free or discounted rides to facilitate travel to polling locations.
Ride-Sharing Apps: Uber provided a promo offering $10 off rides to the nearest local polling place. Lyft offered discounts on rides to the polls on November 6.
Bike Sharing: Motivate bike-share programs offered a free day pass using the code "BIKETOVOTE." Divvy (Chicago) used the code "VOTE18." BIKETOWN (Portland) offered 30 minutes of free ride time using the code "BIKE2VOTE."
Public Transit: Various municipal transit systems offered free fares on November 6. These included: * Los Angeles Metro * The COMET (Columbia, South Carolina) * Houston Metro * Greensboro Transit Authority (North Carolina)
Retail and Service Incentives
Beyond food and transportation, several retail and service brands offered unique rewards for voters.
ModCloth closed its website and FitShop stores in Austin, Texas, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. on Election Day to encourage voting. On the following day, customers could show store associates their "I Voted" sticker or a social media post to receive a limited-edition "I Voted" pin and a ModCloth tote bag.
Cristophe Schatteman Salons offered 50 percent off hairstyling services on November 6 at locations in Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Beverly Hills, and Orange County.
The Rubin Museum of Art in New York City offered free admission on November 7 to visitors with an "I Voted" sticker.
The Field Museum in Chicago offered a basic ticket completely free of charge to Illinois residents on Election Day.
Credo Mobile allowed customers to make free outbound calls during the hours of open polling in their state.
Conclusion
The Election Day 2018 promotions represented a coordinated effort by the private sector to support and reward civic engagement. The vast majority of these offers were strictly non-partisan, requiring only proof of voting—usually in the form of an "I Voted" sticker or a verbal statement—rather than support for a specific candidate or party. While many of these specific promotions were time-limited to November 6 and 7, 2018, they serve as a useful case study for consumers looking for similar incentives during future election cycles. Consumers seeking to take advantage of such offers should always verify participation with specific locations, as many deals were subject to store manager discretion and regional availability.