As the US presidential election is approaching its final stretch, billionaire Elon Musk has increased his support to the Republican candidate Donald Trump by offering $100 to anyone who gets registered voters in an important battleground state to sign a petition for free speech and gun rights.
The petition, raised by Musk’s America political action committee (PAC), seeks to collect 1 million signatures from voters in swing states to support the first and second Amendments of the US Constitution. This PAC was established with support from Musk and other tech entrepreneurs to specifically back Trump’s campaign.
Musk has significantly increased his incentive, raising the amount from $47 to $100 for each voter referral to sign the petition. If the recruiter collects 1 million signatures from swing-state voters, Musk will face a $100 million payout, highlighting the stakes involved in this initiative.
In order to tackle the fraud, Tesla owner said that cheques will be provided only in mails to those whose addresses are registered in state voter rolls.
The legality of paying for signatures varies by state. Some allow it, but critics warn it could lead to fraud. America PAC, based in Texas, operates in a state that has no specific rules about this practice.
However, as per federal law it is illegal to pay someone to vote or accept payment for registering the vote but there is no such law that prohibits any kind of payment given for signing a petition.
In the presidential election race, Pennsylvania has been a major battleground for both candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, according to an NBC report. The data revealed that a significant portion—one in four dollars has been spent on presidential campaign ads that primarily focus on Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania is a key player in the Electoral College, holding the most electoral votes among swing states, which makes it important for both candidates’ way to the White House. Recent polls show how competitive the race is: a Quinnipiac University survey shows Kamala Harris ahead by 3 percentage points, while a Wall Street Journal poll shows Donald Trump leading by 1 point. It’s going to be a close contest in this crucial state.