Billionaire Elon Musk has unveiled a plan to distribute $1 million daily to registered voters in key states ahead of the US presidential election on 5 November. The winners are selected at random from those who sign a petition organised by the America PAC, a political action committee founded by Musk to support Republican candidate Donald Trump in his bid for a return to the White House.

The first cheque was awarded to a surprised participant at a town hall event in Pennsylvania on 19 October, with another presented the following day. The contest is open to registered voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina—swing states expected to play a decisive role in determining the presidential race's outcome. Other states are considered to favour one of the two candidates firmly.

Election law expert Rick Hasen expressed his view on his personal blog, stating that Elon Musk's offer is "clearly illegal." Under US federal law, any individual who "pays or offers to pay, or accepts payment, either for registration to vote or for voting" could face a fine of up to $10,000 or a prison sentence of up to five years.

Hasen, a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law professor, explained why Musk's 'lottery' is unlawful. He noted, "Who can sign the petitions? Only registered voters in swing states, which is what makes it illegal."

Musk founded America PAC in July to support Donald Trump’s campaign for re-election. To date, the billionaire has contributed $75 million to the group, which has rapidly become a significant player in Trump’s election efforts. According to Forbes magazine, the owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and X is now the world’s richest person, with an estimated net worth of $248 billion.

Source: bbc.com