Comments on: Who wouldn't vote for free beer?

Who wouldn't vote for free beer?

tommasz — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 05:09:41 -0800

Register to vote and you can get free beer! What better way to reach that vast pool of unregistered twenty-one year-olds than offering them something they actually want? Brought to you by the Democrats, of course. But not without some controversy (from health experts, not Republicans), even though they only get two 2-ounce glasses.

Any other examples of inventive voter registration drives out there?

By: davebarnes

davebarnes — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 05:26:56 -0800

When I was in college (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1996-1971) you got a free beer mug (8 oz) with the 2-digit year on it if you voted in student elections. This was when the legal drinking age in New York was a more sensible 18. I had no problem finding beer (sometimes free) to put in that glass on election day.

By: AwkwardPause

AwkwardPause — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 05:46:38 -0800

1996-1971 wow! you actually find it more interesting to tell about beer drinking, than about how you invented time travel?

By: Mayor Curley

Mayor Curley — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 05:52:47 -0800

Who the hell is going to register to vote for two ounces of Genny Light? Make no mistake, "High Falls Brewing" is the new name of Genesee Brewing. I drank a lot of that in college. My head hurts just thinking about it.

By: amberglow

amberglow — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 05:59:15 -0800

It's an old Tammany Hall thing, and there are registration drives happening in bars and clubs all over the country--even strip clubs. It's a wonderful idea--anything to get more young people registered and voting. And think of all the other freebies and giveaways given out all the time--credit card cos. are especially active at this.

By: nofundy

nofundy — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 06:21:48 -0800

Someone recommended voter registration at theaters showing the new Farenheit 911 movie, immediately after viewers exit. Perhaps that would also be good to do at theaters showing The Hunting Of The President? Anyway, these seem to be good ideas to capture the moments of anger and indignation when people feel motivated to actually do something about the current political situation.

By: dash_slot-

dash_slot- — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 06:25:49 -0800

In the UK, we're thinking about 16 year olds getting the vote (sometime this century - it doesnt have a lot of support yet). Now, admittedly they shouldn't be allowed to drink in bars (legally, anyway - we tend to blur that law a little bit as you get to look 18). But what's the deal with your voting age? Don't 18 year olds vote?

By: amberglow

amberglow — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 06:34:45 -0800

dash: 18 to vote (they lowered it from 21 during Vietnam i think), but usually 21 to drink in most states.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 06:36:14 -0800

Be careful, get those voters drunk enough and they'll wind up voting for Nader.

By: Pretty_Generic

Pretty_Generic — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 06:46:42 -0800

Hey, let's go join the Reform Party!

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 07:02:56 -0800

usually 21 to drink in most states. IIRC, when Louisiana finally gave in to Libby Dole's mob tactics (withholding Federal Highway Funds if they didn't raise the drinking age to 21), we became across the board 21. For anyone not aware, Music For America is kind of a "rock the vote" for the indie/punk scene. I've had a blast working with them.

By: biffa

biffa — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 07:04:59 -0800

It's 21 in all states I think. This site backs me up; there are likely better ones which would as well.

By: biffa

biffa — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 07:06:32 -0800

Contacts: Ufez Jones (cursed by)

By: the fire you left me

the fire you left me — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 07:46:07 -0800

Beer is healthier than Coca-Cola.

By: tommasz

tommasz — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 08:22:00 -0800

Interestingly, the festival that this drive is part of is one of the more popular in the area and tends to attract a lot of people, some of whom I'm sure aren't yet 21. I'm sure they won't be drinking.

By: yerfatma

yerfatma — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 08:44:06 -0800

I think the salient info to take from this thread is that Gennesse has changed names. I will avoid this micro-brewery sounding name from here on.

By: drezdn

drezdn — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 09:05:56 -0800

On election day, some bands i know intend to put on a show that's free to anyone with an "I voted" sticker.

By: tommasz

tommasz — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 09:13:32 -0800

High Falls was the name they used for beers like Honey Brown and they've since changed the whole brewery to that name. Older beers, like Genny and Genny Light are still marketed as such, only the fine print on the bottle has changed. They can still make a decent brew, though perhaps not in the premier microbrew class. I haven't had either of the beers mentioned as being given away but neither is likely to be a Genny (I can't imagine that 21-year-olds would take one of those, even for free).

By: jalexei

jalexei — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 11:03:37 -0800

I'll be registering early and often....

By: wendell

wendell — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 12:27:32 -0800

I'm surprised that Bush/Rove and Co. didn't think to do voter registration of people leaving showings of "The Passion of the Christ"... of course, with absentee ballot applications, just in case The Rapture occurs before Election Day.

By: Orange Goblin

Orange Goblin — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 17:23:46 -0800

Why get Free Beer, when you can get Free Sex?

By: tommasz

tommasz — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 19:10:55 -0800

Dang, that makes Free Beer look kinda lame, doesn't it? And it seems so, um, Democratic.

By: Mayor Curley

Mayor Curley — Sat, 19 Jun 2004 20:52:24 -0800

I haven't had either of the beers mentioned as being given away but neither is likely to be a Genny (I can't imagine that 21-year-olds would take one of those, even for free). As a 21-year-old at the University of Rochester, I accepted a lot of free Genny (usually Genny Ice). And it's actually a decent sub-premium beer. It's the Golden Anniversary that will kill you. yerfatma and I liked Genny enough to polish off a 30-pack in two days between us. Of course, it was at the end of senior year and we probably would have polished off a can of Coleman fuel.