Musk to Donate $1 Million Daily to Pennsylvania Voters.

Published on 20 October 2024, by Olivia Collins | NY, USA.

Elon Musk has announced plans to donate $1 million (£766,000) per day to a registered voter in the swing state of Pennsylvania until the U.S. presidential election in November.

The recipient will be randomly selected from individuals who sign a pro-Constitution petition through Musk’s political action committee, AmericaPAC, which was formed to support Republican candidate Donald Trump’s bid to regain the presidency.

The first award was handed to an unsuspecting individual at a town hall event on Saturday evening.

Musk’s giveaway is seen as a strategy to motivate potential Trump voters to engage with the campaign during the critical final weeks before the November 5 election.

However, questions have been raised regarding the legality of this initiative.

Rick Hasen, a leading election law specialist, expressed his concerns on his Election Law Blog, stating that Musk’s actions appear "clearly illegal." According to federal law, offering or accepting payments for voter registration or voting can lead to a $10,000 fine or up to five years in prison.

While Musk is technically asking voters to sign a petition, Hasen questioned the underlying motive, highlighting that only registered voters in swing states can sign, which he claims makes it unlawful.

Petition signers, who pledge support for free speech and gun rights, are required to provide contact information, which AmericaPAC could later use to follow up with them regarding their voting choices.

Both Musk and AmericaPAC have been contacted for a response.

Political campaigns often use tactics such as petition drives, surveys, and merchandise offers to build vast databases of voter information, which are then used for targeted outreach or fundraising.

Earlier, Musk had offered $47 to anyone who convinced a registered voter in a swing state to sign the petition. This tactic drew attention from campaign finance experts like Hasen but might exploit a loophole, as no direct payment was made for voting.

In the U.S., it is illegal to provide financial incentives for voting—not just for selecting a particular candidate, but simply for participating in the election.

This law was highlighted when Ben & Jerry's, the ice cream company, had to modify a 2008 election day promotion, which initially offered free ice cream only to voters, expanding it to all customers after legal concerns were raised.

On Sunday, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat supporting Kamala Harris, called Musk’s strategy “deeply troubling.” During an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Shapiro suggested law enforcement may need to investigate the legality of these payments.

Musk, now a prominent Trump supporter, launched AmericaPAC in July to bolster the former president’s re-election effort. He has already contributed $75 million (£57.5m) to the PAC, which has become a vital part of Trump’s campaign operations.

Trump’s campaign relies heavily on external groups like AmericaPAC for voter outreach.

A statement on the AmericaPAC website outlines its key principles: “Secure Borders, Safe Cities, Sensible Spending, Fair Justice System, Free Speech, and the Right to Self-Protection.”

Musk has stated his goal is to gather “over a million, perhaps two million voters in battleground states to sign the petition in defense of the First and Second Amendments.”

“I believe it sends a powerful message to our elected officials,” Musk remarked.

Currently the wealthiest person in the world, Musk has an estimated net worth of $248 billion (£191 billion), according to Forbes.

The 2024 presidential election is expected to be decided by key battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada.