Musk to give away $1m per day to Pennsylvania voterspublished at 17:53 British Summer Time 20 October
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has said he will give away $1m (£766,000) a day to a registered voter in the key swing state of Pennsylvania between now and the US election.
The winner will be chosen at random from those who sign a pro-constitution petition by Musk’s campaign group AmericaPAC, which he set up to support Republican nominee Donald Trump's White House return bid.
The first lottery-style cheque was given away to a surprised-looking attendee at a town hall event on Saturday night.
Some have raised questions about the legality of the giveaway, which effectively helps to encourage potential Trump voters to engage in the campaign.
Prominent election law expert Rick Hasen wrote on his personal Election Law Blog, external that he believed Musk's offer was "clearly illegal".
Federal law states anyone who "pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting" faces a potential $10,000 fine or five year prison sentence.
Though Musk is technically asking participants to sign a form, Hasen questioned the intent behind the strategy.
"Who can sign the petitions? Only registered voters in swing states, which is what makes it illegal," Hasen, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) law school alleged.
Those who sign the petition - which pledges to support free speech and gun rights - will have to give their contact details, potentially allowing AmericaPAC to contact them about their vote.
Both Musk and AmericaPAC have been approached for comment.