Inglewood coffee shop provides early voting location

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- Serving up coffee and ballots, Inglewood coffee house Sip & Sonder offered its space to the community to be a pop-up vote center this Halloween.

"People are coming, voting, and we're just really glad to be able to offer this to the community," said Sip & Sounder co-owner Amanda-Jane Thomas. "And if you vote, you get a free drink of your choice while supplies last."

The Voting Solutions for all People (VSAP) Flex Program provided all the necessary equipment to make the voting experience as safe and easy as possible.

"It was quick and easy, super-efficient, felt safe and, easy to get done," said voter and Inglewood resident Lauren Pottenger. "It was it was quite enjoyable. No, no lines or anything."

Sip & Sonder employees even got into the Halloween spirit by wearing superhero masks and although costumes are not required they say they are encouraged. They say they want the voting experience there to be as fun as possible.

"It happens to be Halloween," Thomas said. "We have free snacks for the kids if you come with your kids to vote, and we're trying to get in the spirit with Halloween costumes."

Inglewood resident Kai Pottenger said compared to other places he's voted, he enjoyed voting at Sip & Sonder more.

"It's so much more personal and fun to be a part of what local business is trying to do to increase voter turnout," Kai Pottenger said. "Just cool to be a part of the community in this way."

Flex vote centers are available all throughout LA County.

"Normally I would have gone to the Ladera Park location, but since I found out that Sip & Sonder was an early vote center, I said, 'Why don't I try?'" said voter Courtney Wilkins. "This is the first time I've ever voted early. Normally I go on Election Day, and so I figured I'd give it a try."

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