Elon Musk has announced a $1 million daily lottery for registered swing-state voters who sign his petition in support of the First and Second Amendments. The world’s richest man made the announcement at a Pennsylvania town hall on Saturday, stating that the daily prize will be awarded to random signers until Election Day. This petition, launched by Musk’s America PAC, is part of a broader effort to support former President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign and appears to be an attempt to boost up conservative voter registration in crucial states such as Pennsylvania.
The Petition
Musk’s America PAC launched the petition on October 6.
The petition centers around a pledge to support the First and Second Amendments, which guarantee freedom of speech and the right to keep and bear arms.
As part of Musk’s financial incentive program, participants will receive $47 for each registered voter who signs the petition. The declared goal is to gather 1 million registered voters from key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina to show their support for the Constitution.
The PAC rolled out an exclusive offer in Pennsylvania. Registered voters who sign the petition by today’s deadline will receive $100, replacing the “standard” $47 reward in other states. Additionally, any referrer of a new petition signer will also receive $100, as long as both individuals are registered voters from Pennsylvania.
$1 Million Lottery
During the recent town hall in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Musk added a hefty incentive to sign the petition.
He told the audience, “I have a surprise for you,” before revealing that prize money would be awarded “every day from now until the election.” Musk then invited John Dreher, one of the petition signers in the crowd, to the stage, presenting him with a massive check as the day’s winner.
The second winner was Kristine Fishell from Pittsburgh, who thanked Musk for using his wealth “to save speech.”
The Motivation
Reflecting on the initiative, Musk, who is estimated to be worth nearly $250 billion, commented, according to CNBC, “I think this is kind of fun, and you know, it seems like a good use of money, basically.”
Besides “having fun,” Musk’s motivation seems to stem from two key concerns shaping his political activism.
First, he has expressed deep frustration with what he perceives as voter apathy in the United States, believing that many Americans have become disengaged from the electoral process.
Musk lamented the indifference that prevents people from recognizing the gravity of their votes, describing it as a significant hurdle in preserving a “democracy” that is “on the line” in this election.
The second issue troubling Musk is what he sees as the profound implications of an increasing population of illegal immigrants in crucial swing states. He fears that should the Democrats prevail in the elections, the legalization of these individuals could permanently shift the political landscape, pushing the country toward a “deep blue socialist state.”
Legal Concerns
Despite the excitement among Musk supporters, legal experts and public officials are raising alarms about the potential illegality of the giveaway. Critics argue that the initiative constitutes vote buying, a violation of both federal and state laws designed to protect election integrity.
Legal analyst and UCLA law professor Rick Hasen posted an extensive blog post detailing the laws that Musk’s initiative “clearly” violates.
For instance, Hasen argued that financial reward to registered voters could run afoul of 52 U.S.C. § 10307(c), which prohibits paying or offering to pay for voter registration or for voting. The statute explicitly states that offering anything of value to encourage voter registration or participation is illegal, carrying penalties of up to $10,000 in fines or five years in prison.
Hasen also referenced the DOJ’s “Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses.” That manual clarifies that offering lottery chances in exchange for voter registration or participation is prohibited:
The bribe may be anything having monetary value, including cash, liquor, lottery chances, and welfare benefits.
Criticism
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, called the lottery “deeply concerning,” stopping short of calling it illegal.
“I think there are real questions with how [Musk] is spending money in this race. How the dark money is flowing, not just into Pennsylvania but apparently now into the pockets of Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro said Sunday on NBC News’ Meet the Press.
Shapiro, the former Pennsylvania attorney general, added that “it’s something that law enforcement can take a look at.”
Musk’s Response and Ongoing Debate
In response to Shapiro’s remarks, Musk fired back on social media, insinuating that if one side of the political spectrum can rely on the influence of oligarchs, conservatives should do the same.
One of Musk’s retweets highlighted a photo of Shapiro standing beside Alex Soros, suggesting a close connection between the governor and the Soros family. The post reads, “Pennsylvania [Governor] Threatens Elon Musk with Criminal Probe,” implying that Shapiro’s criticism of Musk was politically motivated.
George Soros and his son Alex actively provide significant financial support to Democratic candidates and liberal causes. That activity has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from conservative figures. They argue that such massive donations unfairly skew political outcomes, concentrating power in the hands of a few.
In another post, Musk referenced the 2020 donations by Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Meta (formerly Facebook), who contributed over $400 million to support election administration in 2020.
Critics argued that Zuckerberg heavily directed his contributions toward Democratic-leaning areas. Despite this, authorities considered the donations legally permissible. Zuckerberg channeled the funds through nonprofits, which then distributed them to local governments for election-related purposes.
Philadelphia election lawyer Adam Bonin encapsulated the broader issue in a succinct statement to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. He said, “[I wish] wealthy people didn’t have this much influence on our politics, regardless of what side they’re on, but as long as they do, they’ve got to exercise their power legally.”
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