Oregon Public Broadcasting

Seattle-based Starbucks is finding out the hard way the truth in the saying, “No good deed goes unpunished.” 

The company planned to give away free cups of coffee Tuesday to people who went into Starbucks cafés and said they voted.  But the promotion drew a warning from the Secretary of State’s office in Olympia. 

Spokesman Dave Ammons says federal law forbids any freebies or cash payments for voting or not voting.

Dave Ammons: “When they were writing the statute they didn’t want to begin parsing it finely enough to say what’s innocent versus illegally trying to influence the election. So they’ve simply said nothing can change hands to persuade somebody to vote or register.”

Ammons says the company could get around the problem by not asking customers about voting, and simply offering a giveaway to celebrate Election Day.  

Late Monday, Starbucks said that’s exactly what the company will do.  It’s also how Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream shops modified their planned Election Day voting promotions.

Online:

Watch the Starbucks ad that got the company an election law reminder