Comments on: UPDATED – Election Day Freebies

By: PercussionQueen7

PercussionQueen7 — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 05:58:26 +0000

I got my free scoop at Ben and Jerry’s! Sweet Cream and Cookies for the win! Go Obama!

By: Meh

Meh — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:11:31 +0000

I didn’t get a sticker.

By: Denise

Denise — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:02:56 +0000

No free coffee at Starbucks Las Vegas. I told them I voted today and they said “Good for you”. When I asked for my free tall coffee they had no idea what I was talking about. How embarassing. Is this some kind of joke???

By: Jerry

Jerry — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:24:33 +0000

i was wondering do you have to vote to recieve these freebies

By: Candy

Candy — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:24:56 +0000

my state does not give out stickers anymore

By: swag

swag — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:23:54 +0000

Awesome. My vote is now being bought and sold like the rest of the election!

By: Siskita

Siskita — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:06:20 +0000

I did not receive a sticker when I voted…so what does that leave me with many of these companies? They should consider polling places that don’t give out stickers

By: Goob

Goob — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:48:02 +0000

Yeah, it looks like they’ve removed their page that listed the election day freebie deal as well. That’s a shame!

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:53:42 +0000

Shane’s Rib Shack is only giving a free chicken meal to the first 300 customers and they opened at 11am…

By: Goob

Goob — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:10:56 +0000

Haha, I really would like to see Handel try and go after anybody who accepted an election day freebie. There are polling places all across the country that offer free sandwiches and donuts. You'd have to be making a pretty big stretch in order to prove that somebody voted because of the freebies.

By: R

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:38:46 +0000

Oddly enough, every voter in Georgia receives a gift when they vote in the form of a round sticker with a peach on it that says “I’m a Georgia voter.”

Wouldn’t that gift be a clear violation of the law quoted by Georgia Sec. of State Handel?

By: R

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:35:49 +0000

You apparently will be committing a felony if you accept a “I voted” freebie in Georgia. This is from a story in the Atlanta Journal:

QUOTE “According to the Secretary of State’s office, rewards and discounts being offered to people who show up with “I’m a Georgia voter” stickers Tuesday are illegal, and in fact may constitute a felony under state statutes.

Voters who accept such freebies might also be committing a crime. Secretary of State Karen Handel’s office released a statement Monday to reiterate the law to businesses planning giveaways. It quotes Georgia Code Section 21-2-570, which says: “Any person who gives or receives, or offers to give or receive, or participates in the giving or receiving of money or gifts for the purpose of registering as a voter, voting, or voting for a particular candidate in any primary or election shall be guilty of a felony.”

It adds: “Businesses are free to offer ‘Election Day’ specials or sales for all of its customers but gifts, incentives or specials just for voters is prohibited under this provision.” ENDQUOTE

Here’s the link to the story:

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/11/03/no_freebies_georgia_voters.html