An Ice Cream Bribe At the Ballot Box?

Loyola Law School Professor Rick Hasen runs the best single blog for those who want to track the legal issues around the election. He flags a possibly illegal offer from Ben and Jerry's, which is offering a free scoop of ice cream on Election Day for anyone who votes:

The problem is that paying for turnout---even in a civic minded gesture such as this one---is illegal in elections in which federal candidates are on the ballot. I've written extensively about the issue. The only out I see for the ice cream company is that one need not prove one voted; it is enough to say "I voted." But if I were Ben and Jerry's lawyer, I'd tell them to shut this down.

Also, for those trying to track the rapid proliferation of election-related lawsuits as we approach Nov. 4, take a look at the election law blog maintained by Moritz Law School.