Election Day Freebie Watch: Part 2

Katherine Mangu-Ward | November 4, 2008

Poor Starbucks can't seem to do anything right lately. After hyping free coffee for those who "care enough to vote," the chain has been forced to revise its promotion by federal election law. Now they're giving a free cup of coffee to any one who cares enough to ask for a free cup of coffee. That's civic participation.

"Federal law makes no distinction between cups of coffee or a raffle ticket versus a buy-the-vote kind of thing on the other end of the spectrum. We just told Starbucks, essentially, no good deed goes unpunished. We appreciate the gesture, but it's forbidden" according to the office of Washington's secretary of state.

Looks like there's a chance for my objectivity to be tainted after all. I'm headed out now to watch federal election law get broken by baristas who didn't get the memo...