The president of Zapp’s Potato Chips hopes to encourage voting this weekend by offering a full year’s supply of Zapp’s to the first three participants who correctly predict who will win the governor’s election. Winners also must guess the percentage of votes each candidate will receive.
Zapp’s President Ron Zappe organized the contest because he was appalled at the low voter turnout at the preliminary governor’s race, he said.
“If voters will just learn a little about how each candidate is promising to move this state forward, go vote and then hold the winner to that promise, we really can turn this state around,” Zappe said.
The contest started a week and a half ago and will end Friday at midnight.
“People can e-mail their predictions on our Web site or they can fill out a postcard and mail it,” Zappe said.
Zappe traveled to Monroe, New Orleans and Baton Rouge to do seven television and radio interviews prompting listeners to vote.
He attributes much of the demise of Louisiana to voter apathy, according to an official statement from the company.
“There is a reason Louisiana is the only Southern state losing population. It’s called apathy. And that can be traced right back to a population not involved in the process,” Zappe said.
Mechanical engineering freshman Brody Shores also thinks more citizens should vote.
“Not enough people in Louisiana vote, but they complain about who wins the election,” Shores said.
Not everyone believes a contest like this will boost voter turnout on Saturday. Ian Navarre, a communication studies sophomore, is one of those people.
“I think Mr. Zappe has good intentions, and it’s good that he is interested, but I don’t see the contest making a huge increase in voter turnout. It does increase awareness, though,” Navarre said.
Lauren Rodriguez, an elementary education sophomore, is not convinced either.
“The contest sounds like it’s promoting the product more than it’s promoting the vote,” Rodriguez said.
Zappe expects several hundred more Louisianans to participate in the contest in addition to the 150 who already have. This is the first time this type of contest has been attempted by Zappe.
The winners will receive their prizes via mail orders, but the first delivery will be different.
“I’d like to make the first delivery myself in person,” Zappe said.
Zappe has only two requests after spending $50,000 in ads to remind citizens to vote on Saturday.
“Go vote and eat more chips,” Zappe said.
Students interested in entering the contest should visit www.zapps.com.