If you’re looking for valley companies offering deals to people with “I voted” stickers this Tuesday, your search may end up fruitless. That’s because the practice is actually illegal.
Deals like this may seem like a celebration of civic pride, but federal law actually prohibits them when there’s a federal candidate on the ballot.
"And this is meant to stop vote buying, meant to stop targeting these kinds of benefits in particular areas and try to affect the outcome of a particular election," said Rick Hasen, a law professor and election law expert at the University of California Irvine.
Hasen added some giveaways are exempt. Offering free transportation to polls and even gasoline is permissible on Election Day.
