Elon Musk’s so-called lottery is available to those registered to vote in swing states who sign a petition in support of the First and Second Amendments. Voters were also asked to supply their phone numbers, emails, and addresses to be given $47. The use of the constitution appeals to Republicans through a focus on gun and free speech laws - both issues Musk has been outspoken about.
This stunt has raised questions about legality. There is a federal law in place which states it is illegal to offer people an incentive to register to vote. Philadelphia district attorney has filed suit against Musk due to it closely walking the line between legality and illegality. It has also been alleged that the selection is not random: most of those selected have also attended Trump rallies; meaning the selection process could be more direct political targeting. The lottery is a calculated, careful manoeuvre from Musk, with the possibility of pushing undecided swing state voters toward Trump and therefore massively impacting the election results.
The self-proclaimed ‘free speech absolutist’ has also been outspoken on social issues - with views closely aligning with Trump’s.
What are Musk’s motivations? The answer might lie in the benefits Musk could receive from a republican government. Musk has been offered a role in Trump's administration as the ‘secretary of cost-cutting’, which means Musk could access tax codes available to government officials. It would grant Musk immense tax breaks; possibly tens of billions of dollars. Musk has also been openly interested in government deregulation due to his plans regarding space exploration. The self-proclaimed ‘free speech absolutist’ has also been outspoken on social issues - with views closely aligning with Trump’s. If Trump wins the election, Musk has an important leg-up in tax breaks, deregulation, and free speech.
Musk’s lottery is not just a gimmick, but a strategic investment for personal benefit, despite potentially appearing as generous to some voters. Yet Musk isn’t the only one using financial incentives to shift voter's opinions. Billionaire Timothy Melon donated a whopping $165 million to Trump's administration. However, Musk’s approach is much more unethical - Musk is directly targeting individual voters to impact election results. If the wealthy can influence votes, faith in the integrity of American democracy will diminish. Voters should ultimately be able to make decisions based on a genuine belief in the candidate being best suited for the role, and when financial incentives from the billionaires exist, it makes it much harder for voters to make a genuine decision, and therefore should not be happening, regardless of legalities.
