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Unclear on the concept

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Illinois

* The Chicago Tribune’s marketing department sent out an email Friday evening headlined “Register to Vote and Get a Free 8 Week Digital Subscription!”…

The Chicago Tribune will keep you caught up on all political issues, events and discussions leading up to Inauguration Day. Your free Unlimited Digital Access includes:

• Unlimited access to our site
• The daily eNewspaper delivered to your inbox
• The Chicago Tribune news app

After you register to vote, you will receive a confirmation email where you can redeem your free access.

* From Illinois state statute…

Sec. 29-1. Vote buying.

Any person who knowingly gives, lends or promises to give or lend any money or other valuable consideration to any other person to influence such other person to vote or to register to vote or to influence such other person to vote for or against any candidate or public question to be voted upon at any election shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 2:41 am

Comments

The Trib has (on-line?) access to the voter registration systems in each county in Illinois, so they can send an email?

Comment by Late to the Party Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 6:03 am
The sight of Bruce Dold being led out in cuffs would make my day.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 6:58 am
So… is the Trib considered to be a “valuable consideration”??? /s

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 7:52 am
This could be bad if someone actually prosecutes it. Doubtful.

Comment by McGruff Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 7:54 am
Looking forward to them being sold and ALL of the editorial staff being shown the door. It might be too late to save this 1% advocacy rag.

Comment by Trapped in the 'burbs Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 8:34 am
Wow — to what depths this election has taken us.LOL. But wasn’t the Trib advertising something like a free 8-week subscription to anyone who signed up? So this is just a silly marketing ploy? Rich, thanks for some morning humor.

Comment by Politically Incorrect Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 8:34 am
It also says that if you’re already registered to vote, you can also get the free trial subscription. That might not save them (unregistered folks who remain that way apparently can’t get it), but maybe they think it will.

Comment by titan Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 8:39 am
Bruce Dold shouting, “Menard, Menard” and trying to lead an uprising.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 8:42 am
Are these the Chicago vote-buyers we were warned about?

I thought the law was common knowledge among marketing types. Why do you think you don’t see voting-related giveaways?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 8:52 am
Just as I suspected, voter REGISTRATION drives are just vote buying.

Comment by Robo Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 8:58 am
Sec. 5-4.5-45. CLASS 4 FELONIES; SENTENCE. For a Class 4 felony: (a) TERM. The sentence of imprisonment shall be a determinate sentence of not less than one year and not more than 3 years.

Devastating — it’s not at all certain that the Tribune will even be alive in one year, much less three.

Sad.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 9:05 am
Does Gary Johnson believe in the right to buy votes?

Comment by IReadTheTimes Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 9:14 am
But is a Trib subscription a “valuable consideration” these days??

Comment by Joe Biden Was Here Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 9:32 am
Joe @ 9:32: Ouch. That’s gonna leave a mark.

But truth. Between the Ed Board’s gutless endorsement of Gary Johnson and those &@^* auto-play videos atop each story, I’m about ready to drop my digital subscription altogether.

Comment by Northsider Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 9:51 am
When I was just a baby,
My Mama told me, Bruce,
Always be a good boy,
Don’t play fast and loose.
But I gave those voters bribes,
Just to get them to subscribe,
When I hear that whistle blowin’
I hang my head and cry.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 10:05 am
The operative word is “valuable”. A Trib subscription is worthless. So it’s cool.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 10:10 am
Hopefully none of folks who post comments on its website will register.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 10:46 am
“A Trib subscription is worthless.”

I have to disagree. I liked the crossword puzzles and comics. The rest was fit for a bird cage.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 11:01 am
There should be an investigation. Maybe not a prosecution, but it’s rather pathetic that they did this and law enforcement should take it seriously.

Our laws are designed to protect and maintain the integrity of the voting and elections process. They broke the law.

Comment by siriusly Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 11:25 am
I’m surprised this made it past their legal dept, but overall, this earns more of a shrug than an eye-brow raise.

Comment by Illinoisan Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 12:21 pm
Hey it’s better than the Katrina they wished for.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 11, 16 @ 2:45 pm