In a move that’s turning heads, Elon Musk is offering $100 to registered voters in Pennsylvania for signing a petition supporting Donald Trump. Musk, the billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce the deal, which also promises an additional $47 for every referred voter who signs the petition. Musk’s America PAC, which he founded to back Trump’s campaign, aims to register 1 million voters across key swing states before voter registration closes on October 21.
Musk’s petition centers on supporting the First and Second Amendments, rallying voters to pledge their commitment to free speech and the right to bear arms. While federal law prohibits paying individuals to vote, paying for petition signatures is legally permissible, and Musk’s offer skirts this boundary by compensating referrers rather than signatories.
The petition is part of Musk’s broader push to energize Trump’s base in swing states like Pennsylvania, which he called “the linchpin” of the election during a recent America PAC town hall. Musk stressed the urgency of voter registration, claiming that “a handful of people” could decide the election and the future of civilization. As the October 21 deadline looms, Musk’s controversial strategy is drawing attention, especially with Pennsylvania poised to be a critical battleground in the 2024 election.
