On Oct. 19, 2024, at a rally in Harrisburg, Pa., Elon Musk announced an election lottery for voters in Pa. and other swing states. One eligible voter would be selected daily to win a $1 million prize leading up to Nov. 5.
“’I have a surprise for you,’ Elon Musk said with a grin at an event he hosted in Pennsylvania on Saturday, aimed at getting people in the swing state to vote early and for Donald Trump. ‘We’re going to be awarding a million dollars, randomly, to people who have signed the petition every day from now until the election.’”
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Musk’s Plan
Musk said that to participate in the lottery, voters would need to sign a petition, known as the PAC petition (Petition in Favor of Free Speech and the Right to Bear Arms). When signing this petition, participants show support for the First and Second Amendments, allowing them to enter the lottery.
Is this Illegal?
The legality depends on whether or not this initiative counts as buying votes. Musk–who has openly endorsed Donald Trump–is paying people who are likely to vote Republican since the petition reflects a conservative agenda.
Federal Law bans paying individuals to register to vote. The US Justice Department’s Public Integrity Department (PID) investigates violations like this and on Oct. 23 warned Musk that the lottery may be illegal.
The Philadelphia District Attorney, Larry Krasner, filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop Musk.
A hearing was set for Oct. 31, but Musk did not attend.
“He is a very busy man who can’t just materialize on 12 hours’ notice”
Matt Haverstick
Musk’s lawyers argued in court that the lawsuit was politically motivated. Krasner responded, saying the intent was to stop ‘the illegal lottery.’
The case was given to U.S. District Judge Gerald Pappert. He will decide whether it will proceed in state or federal court.
The Most Recent Outcome
On Nov. 4, a Pennsylvania judge ruled that Musk’s election lottery could continue. Since this ruling was made the day before the election and the lottery is about to end, it will be interesting to see if the case is taken to federal court.
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