Beer photo via Shutterstock

Bad news for Northern Virginia voters who were hoping to have their civic participation on November 6 rewarded with a free beer at Capitol City Brewing Company’s location in Arlington. Turns out, free-drink promotions are against the law in Virginia, a state with many statutes that make the bar business a lot less fun.

Hell, the brewpub can’t even call its Election Day plan a “happy hour,” as the Old Dominion’s books put the kibosh on that, too. Instead, voters who show up to Capitol City Brewing Company’s restaurant at 4001 Campbell Avenue in Shirlington will be treated to a 13-hour “Election Day Celebration” beginning at 11 a.m.

And rather than be offered a free pint in exchange for their “I Voted” stickers, thirsty ballot-goers will have to cough up their cash, albeit at happy hour—er, “celebration”—prices. Online advertising of happy hours has been illegal for Virginia bars and restaurants since the 1980s, when the Internet was in its infancy as a platform for mass distribution. A bill permitting happy hour promotions passed the Virginia House of Delegates earlier this year, but it was yanked from the state senate’s docket.

Capitol City Brewing Company is still planning on giving away free beer at its location in downtown D.C.—where it’s allowed to be called “happy hour”—though that could be a bit dodgy, too. Federal election laws prohibit rewards or benefits for casting a ballot when federal candidates are up for election. District ballots this year contain three federal positions: president, vice president and non-voting delegate. In 2010, the Arlington Young Democrats ran afoul of this law when the organization attempted to offer free beer and appetizers to anyone who came to their party sporting an “I Voted” sticker.

So, it might turn out that no one can get a free beer just for performing their civic duty. What a waste. Why would you even bother voting at this point?