7-Eleven predicts election with cups

• Tweet

DALLAS, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Texas-based store chain 7-Eleven announced the start of its 7-Election promotion, using coffee cups to predict the outcome of the presidential election.

The convenience store chain said customers can choose a red Mitt Romney cup to show their intention to vote for the Republican challenger, or a blue Barack Obama cup to show support for the Democratic incumbent, CNN reported Wednesday.

The store said previous 7-Election promotions have correctly predicted the outcomes of the last three presidential elections.

"While we have never billed 7-Election as scientific or statistically valid, it is astounding just how accurate this simple count-the-cups poll has been -- election after election. We have had a lot of fun with it, and I hope we have encouraged people how important it is to vote in the real election," said Joe DePinto, president and chief executive officer of 7-Eleven.

Each store takes a daily tally of which cups are chosen by coffee drinkers and the results are put on the company's website. Obama was in the lead as of Wednesday, with 60 percent of participants choosing his cups over Romney's, which were chosen by 40 percent.

Follow us on Twitter at @UPIDebates for complete UPI.com coverage of the 2012 Presidential Debates.