Elon backs $20 payouts for political selfies in Wisconsin

Elon Musk and his Political Action Committee (PAC), America PAC, are actively supporting conservative candidate Brad Schimel in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election scheduled for April 1, 2025.

Musk has invested over $20 million in this election, which is being regarded as the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history.

His strategy includes incentivizing voters, offering $20 to individuals who hold up a picture of Schimel (on a phone, device, or paper) in one hand while giving a thumbs-up with the other.

This offer extends to people outside Wisconsin as well, provided they encourage locals there to participate. For instance, at an event in Green Bay on March 30, 2025, Musk awarded $1 million checks to two voters and announced $20 per recruitment over the next two days.

However, Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit claiming this was an illegal attempt to influence voting, though the state Supreme Court dismissed the challenge on March 30.

Musk insists this isn’t vote-buying but rather a way to raise awareness, which he sees as critical to Trump’s agenda, such as tackling illegal immigration and government reform. Still, the “political selfie” concept may be an extension of his petition signature and voter recruitment tactics, though confirmation remains unclear.