Elon Musk is offering people $1 million to vote

Tech billionaire Elon Musk gave a $1 million check to an viewers member at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the place he’s been Trump-stumping, on Saturday. And he stated he’ll proceed to present that prize to at least one random voter per day till the Presidential election on November fifth. The transfer may very nicely break US election legislation.

Solely individuals who have signed a petition from Musk’s America PAC are eligible for the sweepstakes-style supply. And solely registered voters are eligible to signal the petition. In response to its phrases, Musk will give $1 million to somebody in Pittsburgh as we speak, however will later develop to anybody residing in swing states like Georgia, Nevada, or Arizona.

It’s in opposition to federal legislation to impel anybody to vote or get registered to vote and Musk’s $1 million prizes are “clearly unlawful,” writes UCLA political science professor Rick Hasen in his Election Law Blog. He cites 52 USC 10307 (c), which states that anybody who “pays or presents to pay or accepts fee both for registration to vote or for voting” can doubtlessly see $10,000 in fines or 5 years in jail. There are additionally different legally doubtful features of the pledge, embody bonuses for signers and for getting others to signal it.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said on Meet the Press this morning that the supply is “deeply regarding.” He stopped in need of calling it unlawful, stating that he’s not the state’s Lawyer Normal, however stated the ploy is “one thing that legislation enforcement can check out.”

Hasen told NBC News that the actual fact the petition is barely open to registered voters could also be what places it excessive. Federal authorities can both prosecute Musk or warn him to cease the scheme, he stated. The US Division of Justice would have to charge him with violating the law in federal court docket; a federal company or personal social gathering may additionally file a civil lawsuit.

Both of these would take time. Musk might be trusting that Trump, who has pardoned allies and is unlikely to let the DOJ punish a significant donor, will win and make the authorized questions irrelevant. Even when the previous President doesn’t win, Musk already has a track record of flouting regulation with few penalties within the US. However conversely, it’s an open query how a lot Musk’s sweepstakes will assist Trump — and whether or not it could actually make up for rumored weaknesses within the candidate’s traditional campaign ground game.