The owner of Tesla and social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk, has announced that his political action committee, America PAC, will give away $1 million daily to a member of the public until the presidential election. The money will be awarded to those who sign a petition aimed at encouraging Republicans in critical states to register to vote.
At a town hall event in Pennsylvania, Musk said the petition asks people to support the First and Second Amendments. However, to qualify for the cash prizes, citizens who sign the petition must be registered voters in battleground states. Musk also said that signing the petition is now required to attend his town hall events.
At the event, Musk called the upcoming election a critical moment in U.S. history. He encouraged attendees to vote early and support Trump. Musk claimed that if Trump’s Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, wins, it could be "the last election."
The legality of this $1 million giveaway is uncertain, but experts in the U.S. have raised concerns that it may violate federal election laws, which prohibit paying people to register or vote. As per the United States Justice Department guidelines, offering money to induce voting can be interpreted as illegal.