Krispy Kreme locations in Georgia had started Election Day by promising a free doughnut to voters who showed up with their "I Voted" stickers.

Turns out, in Georgia you can’t only give voters free doughnuts.

The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office is warning businesses today that giving freebies and discounts that are only available to voters could potentially be illegal —and that they shouldn’t be doing it.

State law prohibits any sort of gift or favor for voting, and state officials said Tuesday that they want to avoid any questions of whether a business was trying to coerce votes.

The Secretary of State’s Office has already opened one investigation Tuesday about the practice —and said they were trying to avoid more.

In the case of Krispy Kreme, officials said a quick call to the company's corporate office corrected the issue. The company is now offering free doughnuts, no sticker required, at select locations available on the company's website.

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Sen. Jason Esteves (D-Atlanta) shown in the Senate chambers on day 18 of the Georgia Legislative session on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

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