For years, the only thing you got after filling out a ballot was one of those cool “I Voted” stickers, and, you know, the satisfaction that you participated in democracy. But on Tuesday (Nov. 6), in an attempt to get out the vote (specifically among millennials), a number of artists and retailers are offering some pretty awesome incentives to inspire the midterm election crowds.
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Celebrity Re-Posts
You’ve been trying to get Alicia Keys to notice you for years, but today, she’s making things super easy. “I want you to post a picture of yourself after you’ve voted, tagging me and using #VoteWithUs,” the singer wrote on Monday night (Nov. 5). “I’ll be reposting as many of you as I can in my IG story until the polls close!”
Election Day is a few hours away!! I want you to post a picture of yourself after you’ve voted, tagging me and using #VoteWithUs. I’ll be reposting as many of you as I can in my IG story until the polls close! WE got this!!! ———— #Vote pic.twitter.com/mXGiJkrLYX
— Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) November 6, 2018
Free Tickets
Drive-By Truckers, Playboi Carti and indie supergroup Boygenius are all offering free tickets to their shows as part of the #iVoted turnout initiative, which has 78 events across 32 states in the offing for voters. Iron & Wine, Alynda Segarra from Hurray For the Riff Raff, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Toro y Moi, Ty Segall, Good Charlotte, Yelle, Living Colour, Low Cut Connie and many more bands are also part of the effort, which is offering between 50-200 free tickets per show for fans who can provide a photo of themselves outside of a polling place. Click here for the full list of participating artists.
Discount Albums
All three Amoeba Music stores in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Berkeley are offering $3 off any item regularly priced at $5 or more for shoppers who come in wearing their “I Voted” sticker. They’re also offering $15 Vote tote bags for just $5 in stores today.
Party With a Pop Star
MTV hopped into the fray this year with its +1 The Vote campaign, which encouraged young voters to bring their friends to the polls, just like they would bring a plus-one to a party or concert. The drive will culminate on Tuesday night with an “Election Afterparty” at Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus co-hosted by Charlamagne Tha God and Liza Koshy, with appearances from Ashanti, Jazz Jennings, Ashanti and Fat Joe, Prettymuch, DJ Nasty, Lauren Jauregui and a number of the co-founders of the March for Our Lives movement.
Come hang out with us at our #Plus1TheVote Election Afterparty on Nov 6 at @MDCollege in Miami — https://t.co/jG4qurqFGh pic.twitter.com/sTOCquL6Ch
— MTV (@MTV) November 3, 2018
Free Rides
Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s nonpartisan voter registration initiative When We All Vote has teamed up with Lyft (which is also working with groups such as Vote.org, Nonprofit Vote and TurboVote) to offer 50 percent off promo codes to get voters to the polls. Lyft is also offering free rides to voters in underserved communities “that face significant obstacles to transportation.” Uber is also offering $10 off a ride to the polls, Zipcar will let renters who pick up cars between 6-10 p.m. to get $20 off a future ride and Lime is handing out 30 free minutes of scooter or bike time.
Your vote is what drives democracy forward. Learn where your local polling place is and get there with a discounted ride: https://t.co/A0l641s5IE pic.twitter.com/7K1h7hWQKg
— Uber (@Uber) November 5, 2018
Patriotic Dates
Kyle Harrison and Ezequiel Consoli are hoping that millennials might show up to the polls if they think there could be some romance after all that bubble filling. They created “Your Voting Date,” an Instagram-driven effort that is encouraging eligible voters to use their social media and dating apps to find a special someone to hit the polls with them.
Free Food
You can also get free fries with any purchase at Shake Shake by showing your “I Voted” sticker or using the code “Ivoted” in the app, while Potbelly Deli just wants to give you a cookie for voting (or not, but still vote, because, c’mon!) and Pizza to the Polls is taking reports of long voting lines across the country and promptly finding local pizza places to deliver them some hot pies.
Help bring smiles to the faces of everyone hangning out at over-crowded polling places with a donation today ?? https://t.co/TAZOXotnXL — https://t.co/GOIjRbjOrx
— Pizza to the Polls (@PizzaToThePolls) October 23, 2018
Museum Entry
If you’re in Chicago, you can get free admission to the Field Museum, and San Franciscans can walk in for nothing at the Creativity Museum (through Friday).
Free Sweating
Gold’s Gym is handing out free workouts to anyone with their sticker on election day.
Frank Ocean Merch
If you happen to be in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston or Miami and love Frank Ocean, you can get some free merch if you bring a selfie at the polls or with your ballot.