Tech billionaire Elon Musk has announced his intention to distribute $1 million (£766,000) daily to registered voters in key swing states leading up to the U.S. presidential election on November 5.
Winners will be randomly selected from individuals who sign a pro-U.S. Constitution petition organized by Musk’s campaign group, AmericaPAC, which aims to support Republican nominee Donald Trump’s efforts to reclaim the presidency.
The first lottery-style giveaway was awarded to an unsuspecting participant at a town hall event in Pennsylvania on Saturday night, with another check presented on Sunday.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who supports Kamala Harris, has described Musk’s strategy as “deeply concerning.”
Shapiro stated in an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press that law enforcement should potentially investigate the payments.
The contest is open to voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, all of which are critical battleground states that will ultimately influence the outcome of the presidential election.
Election law expert Rick Hasen expressed on his personal Election Law Blog that he believes Musk’s offer is “clearly illegal.”
Federal law prohibits anyone from “paying or offering to pay or accepting payment either for registration to vote or for voting,” with violators facing potential fines of $10,000 or a five-year prison sentence.
While Musk is technically requesting voters to sign a form, Hasen has raised questions regarding the underlying motives of this strategy.
“Who can sign the petitions? Only registered voters in swing states, which is what makes it illegal,” Hasen remarked, as a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) law school.
Individuals who sign the petition, pledging to support free speech and gun rights, are required to provide their contact information, enabling AmericaPAC to reach out to them regarding their voting intentions.
Both Musk and AmericaPAC have been approached for comments.
Campaigns and political action committees utilize strategies such as petition signing, survey requests, and merchandise purchases to develop extensive databases of voter information. This data can then be employed more effectively to target voters or to raise funds from supporters who are already engaged.
In Pennsylvania, Mr. Musk is offering voters $100 for signing the petition, along with an additional $100 for each person they refer who also signs. Voters in other competitive states receive $47 for each referral.
However, this strategy may be subject to a loophole in U.S. election law, as no one is directly compensated for voting, even though money is introduced into a process that could identify potential Trump supporters.
In the United States, it is illegal to provide financial incentives for individuals to vote—not just for a specific candidate, but for the act of casting a ballot itself.
This regulation prompted ice cream manufacturer Ben & Jerry’s to offer their products for free to all on Election Day in 2008, as they had initially intended to limit the offer to those displaying an “I voted” sticker.
While campaigning on Sunday, Trump was questioned about Mr. Musk’s financial incentives.
“I haven’t followed that,” he stated, adding that he frequently communicates with Mr. Musk and considers him a “friend.”
The founder of SpaceX and Tesla, as well as the owner of X (formerly Twitter), has emerged as a significant supporter of Trump.
Mr. Musk launched AmericaPAC in July with the objective of backing the former president’s campaign.
He has thus far contributed $75 million (£57.5 million) to the organization, which has quickly become a pivotal player in Trump’s electoral efforts.
The Trump campaign heavily relies on external groups like AmericaPAC to engage with voters.
A statement on the group’s website reads: “AmericaPAC was established to uphold these key values: Secure Borders, Safe Cities, Sensible Spending, Fair Justice System, Free Speech, Right to Self-Protection.”
Mr. Musk expressed his desire to gather “over one million, maybe two million, voters in the battleground states to sign the petition in support of the First and Second Amendments.”
“I believe this sends a crucial message to our elected officials,” he added.
Oga Musk na currently di world richest man, wit estimated net worth of $248bn (£191bn), according to US business magazine Forbes.
