Tech billionaire Elon Musk has announced that he will give away $1 million (£766,000) daily to a registered voter in Pennsylvania until the U.S. presidential election in November. The winners will be randomly selected from individuals who sign a pro-constitution petition organized by Musk’s campaign group, AmericaPAC, which aims to support Republican nominee Donald Trump’s bid for re-election.
The first check was presented to a surprised attendee at a town hall event on Saturday night. This initiative is intended to engage potential Trump voters during the critical final weeks of the election campaign leading up to the vote on November 5.
However, Musk’s giveaway has raised significant legal questions. Prominent election law expert Rick Hasen expressed concern on his Election Law Blog, stating 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 potential penalties of a $10,000 fine or up to five years in prison.
Hasen questioned the legality of Musk’s strategy, highlighting that only registered voters in swing states can sign the petitions, which adds to the legality concerns. The petition requires signers to provide their contact information, potentially allowing AmericaPAC to follow up with them about their voting intentions.
Musk’s previous strategy included offering $47 to anyone who could persuade a registered swing-state voter to sign the petition, which drew scrutiny from campaign finance experts but could have exploited a loophole in U.S. election law, as it did not directly pay individuals to vote.
It is illegal in the U.S. to offer payments for people to vote, regardless of the candidate. This law led to ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s offering free products to all on election day in 2008, initially planning to limit it to those with “I voted” stickers.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat supporting Kamala Harris, expressed concern over Musk’s strategy, suggesting that law enforcement may need to investigate the payments. Musk, a prominent Trump supporter, launched AmericaPAC in July to bolster Trump’s campaign, contributing $75 million (£57.5 million) to the group, which has quickly become integral to Trump’s election efforts.
AmericaPAC’s website outlines its mission: “AmericaPAC was created to support these key values: Secure Borders, Safe Cities, Sensible Spending, Fair Justice System, Free Speech, Right to Self-Protection.” Musk aims to get “over a million, maybe two million” voters in battleground states to sign the petition in support of the First and Second Amendments, stating, “I think [it] sends a crucial message to our elected politicians.”
As the world’s richest man, Musk’s estimated net worth stands at $248 billion (£191 billion), according to Forbes. The 2024 presidential race is likely to hinge on seven key battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada.
