"If You Sign the Petition, 1.4 Billion Won Given Daily"…Musk Goes All In on Trump Election

Understanding Conservative Voter Information in Battleground States
Controversy Over 'Vote-Buying' Allegations

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and a supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has declared that he will select one voter from battleground states each day who signs a petition advocating for freedom of expression and gun ownership rights, and award them $1 million (approximately 1.37 billion KRW). With the U.S. presidential election just over two weeks away, analysts suggest this is a strategy to collect information on conservative-leaning voters and connect them to support for former President Trump. Some critics have called it a form of 'vote buying.'

On the 20th (local time), Musk wrote on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which he owns, "From today until November 5, $1 million will be awarded daily to battleground state voters who sign a petition supporting freedom of expression and gun ownership rights."

Musk is conducting the petition signing through 'America PAC,' a super PAC (political action committee) established to support former President Trump. The petition centers on pledging support for the First Amendment's freedom of expression and the Second Amendment's protection of gun ownership rights. Analysts interpret Musk's encouragement of battleground state voters to participate in the petition as an attempt to gather voter information for use in election campaigning. It is seen as a strategy to identify conservative-leaning voters and encourage them to vote for former President Trump.

While vote buying is a crime under U.S. federal law, paying petition signers or those encouraging signatures is not illegal. Previously, Musk paid $47 to $100 to petition signature solicitors in seven battleground states, but as the election day approaches, he has significantly increased the incentives. Notably, the battleground states that will determine the outcome of the U.S. presidential election are currently in a razor-thin race between former President Trump and Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, with the result expected to be decided by a margin of 1 to 2 percentage points.

Originally, Musk supported the Democratic Party in the last election but has now shifted to support former President Trump. He donated $75 million to America PAC in the third quarter of this year alone.

Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania and a Democrat, appeared on NBC's 'Meet the Press' and said, "Musk clearly has the right to express his views," but also expressed concern, stating, "If this kind of money starts flowing into politics, serious questions that the public wants to examine will arise."