When you go to the polls this Election Day, you may be able to go get some free stuff.
Restaurants, ride share companies, convenience stores and other businesses are encouraging voters to vote by offering discounts or free products.
For the most part, these places are not requiring you to vote to get your deal. If they require customers to show proof of voting like an “I Voted” sticker, that may not be legal, some experts say. In most states, when national candidates are on the ballot, it is illegal to pay or offer to pay others for registering to vote, or for actually voting.
Election Day discounts and freebies this year
- Lyft and Uber are both offering discounted rides to polling locations or dropboxes on Election Day.
- Biggby Coffee: The chain will have a buy-one-get-one free or $1 off any drink up to 24-ounces at participating locations.
- Krispe Kreme: All guests get a free Original Glazed Doughnut Tuesday, while supplies last.
- McDonalds: Free pastry item with purchase of a coffee or drink.
- Jimmy Johns: Buy one get one 50% off sandwiches.
- Wendys: Free chicken sandwich with mobile app purchase.
See each companies website for details. Some offers may change or be unavailable in your area.
You can find more free stuff at Today.com
Why You Should Vote
Voting is your chance to stand up for the issues you care about like state and local politics, public transportation, minimum wage, or funding local schools. Elections are decided by the people who go out and vote.
If you think that your vote is just one in a million and cannot make a difference, consider some of the closest elections in recent U.S. history.
In 2000, Al Gore narrowly lost the Electoral College vote to George W. Bush. The election came down to a recount in Florida. Bush had won the popular vote by such a small margin that it required a recount and eventually went to the Supreme Court.
Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016 by securing a close Electoral College win. Clinton won the popular vote by nearly three million votes, but Trump voters in states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan helped win enough electoral votes to win the presidency.
Vote For Someone Who’s Going Your Direction
I’m hoping that you vote for the national, local and state candidates who support the issues you believe in. My grandmother use to say this about elections:
Voting is like public transportation. Your using your free ticket for the bus that’s going someplace you like better than where you are today. If the bus isn’t going exactly where you want to go, don’t sit home and complain. Take the bus that’s going closest to where you want to be.