Elon Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, has come under fire for allegedly encouraging followers on social media platform X to commit voter fraud. The incident occurred as she was fact-checked by her son’s own platform. Maye Musk shared a post by her son ahead of a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Elon Musk emphasized the importance of voter registration. However, Maye Musk took it a step further by suggesting to her 1.1 million followers that they could vote multiple times using fake names, a practice that is illegal.
In her post, Maye Musk said, “The Democrats have given us another option. You don’t have to register to vote. On Election Day, have 10 fake names, go to 10 polling booths and vote 10 times. That’s 100 votes, and it’s not illegal. Maybe we should work the system too.” This statement immediately drew criticism from followers, including several attorneys, who pointed out that the act of voting multiple times intentionally is federally prohibited.
A community note was placed underneath Maye Musk’s post, stating, “This is, in fact, illegal,” and linking to the US Code that explicitly prohibits such actions. Attorneys warned Maye Musk that her post was a solicitation of a crime, with one stating, “If at least one person acts on your solicitation, you could also be charged with conspiracy. You should retract this tweet immediately.”
Maye Musk later advised her followers to ignore her previous post and clarified that efforts were being made to prevent illegal voting. This incident comes amidst Elon Musk’s false claim at the rally that if Trump does not win in November, it would be the last election in the US. Despite lacking a background in politics, the Tesla CEO asserted that Trump’s victory was necessary to preserve democracy and the Constitution.
The controversy surrounding Maye Musk’s remarks on voter fraud highlights the delicate nature of electoral integrity and the responsibility individuals, especially those with significant platforms, hold in promoting lawful and ethical behaviour. As the US gears up for the upcoming elections, ensuring transparency, accuracy, and fairness in the electoral process remains paramount.