Sporting an "I Voted" sticker will earn you more than recognition as a Gainesville voter today.
Some area businesses and restaurants plan to reward those wearing the stickers with free food. A sticker will pay for a free martini, beer or soda at the Swamp Restaurant, for those voters who are of age.
Swamp manager Mike Taphorn said the promotion is an incentive to get people to the polls.
"We're just trying to get people excited," Taphorn said. "It's a historic election."
Wearing an "I Voted" sticker to a Starbucks location on UF's campus earns customers a free 12-ounce cup of coffee, according to Starbucks employees.
Local Starbucks stores are offering customers who order a grande-size drink an upgrade to a venti-size drink if they say they voted, but employees at UF Starbucks locations said they were not participating in that offer.
Starbucks promoted the giveaway with an ad during the final pre-election edition of Saturday Night Live on NBC last Saturday.
"If you care enough to vote, we care enough to give you a free cup of coffee," the advertisement stated.
Ben & Jerry's on West University Avenue will offer a free 3-ounce scoop of ice cream to anyone who says they voted today, said Benjamin Juergens, a store employee.
The offer is valid from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, according to the Ben & Jerry's Web site.
Juergens said the store ordered $600 more worth of ice cream since the last order two weeks ago. He did not expect the store to run out of ice cream, he said.
"They're just trying to be socially responsible," he said. "It's important that everyone gets their opinion in so the right person gets elected."
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is also offering customers with an "I Voted" sticker a free star-shaped doughnut with patriotic sprinkles, according to its Web site.
