Businesses across the tri-state and the country were offering freebies if voters flashed an “I Voted” sticker Tuesday. The problem? Those little stickers are not actually legal.
It’s technically illegal to reward people for voting, even when not trying to incentivize voting for a specific candidate, Richard Hasen, a professor of law and political science at University of California, Irvine, told NBC 4. “Even though many are ignoring it this election cycle, you cannot give free anything,” he said.
That means food, drink, discounts or even those little stickers that are so shareable on Instagram. “It is fine to give stuff away to everyone…but not upon proof of voting,” Hasen said.
Why Vote? How Do Free Fries Sound? Discounted Mojitos?
Shake Shack posted on their Facebook page Tuesday: “After hitting the polls tomorrow (11/6), score free fries with any purchase by adding crinkle cuts to your order + using the code “ivoted” on the Shack App or by showing your “I Voted” sticker to a team member at the Shack when placing your order in person.”
Potbelly boasted on Twitter that it’ll give you a free cookie on November 6th if you come in wearing an “I Voted Sticker”.
Different from free food and drink though, are ride companies like Lyft, Uber and Citi Bike, offering free and discounted rides to get you to the polls.
These giveaways are allowed because “courts have ruled that this is facilitating voting, rather than acting as a reward for voting,” Hasen said.
Source : Nbcnewyork
