Musk pledges $1m each day in apparent bid to galvanize Republican voters

Elon Musk said on Saturday that America Pac, the Donald Trump-allied political action committee he founded, will give $1m every day until the presidential election to someone who signs his petition that appears to be a way to incentivize Republicans in battleground states to register to vote.

The petition asks people to pledge their support for the first and second amendments, but the small print says that to be eligible for any of the monetary awards, signers need to be registered voters of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin. All are considered swing states for the 5 November election in which Trump is seeking a second presidency at the expense of the Democratic nominee and vice-president Kamala Harris.

The legality of the America Pac $1m prize draw is unclear, and a justice department spokesperson did not immediately respond to an inquiry.

But several legal experts said on Saturday the petition appeared to violate federal election laws that prohibits paying or offering to pay for someone to register to vote or actually vote under title 52 of the US code.

The election crimes manual distinguishes between making it easier for people to vote, such as offering free rides to a polling station, and inducing people to vote, which is unlawful.

UCLA law professor Rick Hasen said in his blog that the America Pac $1m prize draw appears to be an illegal scheme because it offered the payments to registered voters.