Free hamburgers OK for voters (Burgers for votes in Milwaukee!)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | 2/17/04 | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

[mafree]

A promotion offering free hamburgers to people who vote in Tuesday's primary election does not violate state election laws, assistant Milwaukee County district attorney Michael Mahoney said Monday.

The 89-cent hamburger offered by V&J Foods, which operates 14 Burger King restaurants in the Milwaukee area, does not constitute something of value being offered for a vote, Mahoney said.

State election laws prohibit offering anything exceeding $1 in value as a voting incentive.

The district attorney's office was asked to look into the matter after someone complained to the city Election Commission that a radio ad offered free Whoppers to people who showed up at the restaurants today wearing an "I Voted" sticker.

As it turns out, the promotion actually offers a free hamburger with the purchase of an order of french fries, Mahoney said.

[mafree]

I would like to vote absentee please. Forward my burger and my voter forms. Thank you.

You don't want the smokes?

[beckysueb]

Kinda puts the kaboots on cigarettes for votes than.

[wysiwyg]

The 89-cent [Burger King] hamburger...does not constitute something of value.

Well, if the last BK burger I ate is any indication, I guess I'd agree. LOL

RULES!

[mafree]

It'd be better if you were from the district if only to avoid the charges of "outsiders" trying to influence the vote but it probably isn't required.

[highnoon]

Thanks, but I'll pass on the smokes. Gave 'em up the day my son was born. You are more than welcome to them. ;)

[carlo3b]

Offering a WHOPPER, in honor of a Democrat voter, YIKES!

H#LL they have been swallowing WHOPPER's forever, anyway...

The Democratic Party is the TRUE HOME OF THE WHOPPER!!

Sounds like a perfect match!! Where's PETA??.. LOLOLOL

[mafree]

No thanks. Never smoked, never will.

[BraveMan]

<groan> I wonder if they come with ketchup? </groan>

[need_a_screen_name]

SOMEBODY INFORM PETA!!!

[writer33]

How dare they slander the hamburger this way?

[freeperfromnj]

Burgers for votes BUMP

[steveegg]

"Here we go again" ping

[brianl703]

From the looks of the hamburgers on their website--White Castle in the midwest sells hamburgers like that (little square ones).

[An American In Dairyland]

I only buy Hunts now but I went one further and wrote the Heinz Corp. that I would not be buying any of their products or eating at Boston Market or TGIFridays which Heinz also owns. Ore-Ida is another of their products. They list them all on their web site. I said in a nice way that until they muzzle TeRaysah and find some way to limit her proclivity for giving money to leftist kooks, I'd be urging everyone to stop buying Heinz. Never heard back from Heinz.

[afraidfortherepublic]

The Dems reportedly paid the homeless in Milwaukee with cigarettes in 2000 to vote for Gore.

Reportedly? How about tried, convicted, and fined? Unfortunately the AG was a Dem (he's now Governor); and he didn't press the case too hard, so the rich bi*ch from NY who pulled this stunt got off with a pretty minor fine. She was actually prosecuted by the Milwaukee DA (also a Dem) who couldn't identify a case of voter fraud if it hit him in the face.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I wonder if they come with ketchup?Ketchup would probably raise the value to more than the election law allows for a bribe! / sarcasm off

[republicandiva]

We've done some very organized pollwatching in the Racine area coordinated with the Republican Party. Definitely made the difference in last year's State Senate race with Cathy Stepp. Have you contacted anyone in the Milwaukee area GOP? Possibly Scott Walker's office could help you since he's the Milwaukee coordinator for the Bush campaign.

LouD, steve - do you have any sources for pollwatching efforts from the assembly race in S. Milwaukee?

This kind of "burgers for votes" nonsense has to be addressed before the "real" election in November, since it's obvious that useless pile of crap posing as a DA in Milwaukee won't!

[mafree]

I haven't talked to Walker or the GOP- I'll email someone from GRG to see if they'd want to help do something. You'll need every polling place covered to avoid some of the usual accusations.

[mafree]

That "GRG" in the previous post should be "CRG" for Citizens for Responsible Government.

[spunkets]

I hope all you guys got your fill of burgers today. It's best to bankrupt idjits like this before the general election.