MADISON, Wis. — On Saturday, a Wisconsin judge opted not to prevent Elon Musk from distributing $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters at a scheduled rally, just days before the state’s hotly contested Supreme Court election. The state’s Attorney General, who contends the offer is illegal, immediately appealed the judge’s decision to deny the request for an emergency injunction against the payments.
This ruling is the latest development in Musk’s significant involvement in the election, which has seen record-breaking spending for a judicial race and has become a key indicator for the early stages of Donald Trump’s presidency. Trump and Musk are supporting Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, while Democrats are backing Dane County Judge Susan Crawford.
Musk has planned a rally for Sunday where he intends to give $1 million each to two Wisconsin voters for signing an online petition against “activist” judges. He is also offering $100 to anyone who signs the petition; he previously awarded $1 million to a man from Green Bay for signing.
Musk and the groups he supports have invested over $20 million in the race, while Democratic megadonors, including George Soros, are supporting Crawford. The election will determine the ideological balance of the court. Currently, liberals have a 4-3 majority, but a retirement this year puts that majority at risk. The election will conclude on Tuesday.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit on Friday to halt the payments from Musk’s America PAC, arguing that they violate state law, which makes it a felony to offer voters something of value in exchange for voting.
After Columbia County Circuit Judge Andrew Voigt rejected the request, Kaul stated that he would appeal to the state Court of Appeals.
Musk’s political action committee employed a similar strategy before last year’s presidential election, offering $1 million per day to voters in Wisconsin and six other swing states who signed a petition in support of the First and Second Amendments. A Pennsylvania judge ruled that prosecutors had not demonstrated that the effort constituted an illegal lottery and allowed it to continue until Election Day.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is occurring as the court is expected to make rulings on abortion rights, congressional redistricting, union power, and voting regulations, which could impact the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election.
Musk initially stated on his social media platform, X, that he planned to “personally hand over” $2 million to two voters who had already voted in the race. Kaul requested the court to order Musk to cease promoting the Sunday giveaway and to refrain from making any future payments to Wisconsin voters.
Kaul argued in the lawsuit that despite Musk’s initial post being deleted, there has been no indication that the payments will not be made.
—Associated Press writer Scott Bauer contributed to this report.