Maye Musk sparks controversy over alleged voter fraud comments on X

Maye Musk, mother of tech billionaire Elon Musk, found herself at the center of a voter fraud controversy after her comments on X (formerly Twitter) were flagged and fact-checked ironically by the platform her son owns.

The situation unfolded after she made provocative statements that appeared to encourage illegal voting practices, sparking a swift backlash from legal experts and the X community.

The incident occurred when Maye Musk responded to a post shared by Elon Musk ahead of his appearance at a Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Elon urged his followers to ensure voter registration by saying, “Super important to get all your friends and family to register to vote. Georgia’s registration deadline is Monday!!” Maye Musk, however, escalated the conversation in a controversial direction.

She told her 1.1 million followers: “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.”

Her statement drew immediate criticism, particularly from legal professionals who pointed out that voting under false identities is a federal crime. One follower, a civil rights attorney, remarked, “This tweet constitutes the solicitation of a crime and is in itself a fully completed criminal act. If at least one person acts on your solicitation, you could also be charged with conspiracy.” Another lawyer warned her, “That is illegal. Do you have any credible evidence Democrats are engaging in that practice?”

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X’s community note system swiftly attached a disclaimer under her post, linking to U.S. laws that clearly outline the federal illegality of casting multiple votes intentionally. The note refuted her claim, clarifying: “This is, in fact, illegal.”

After facing mounting pressure, Maye Musk attempted to walk back her initial post, advising her followers to disregard the comment. She wrote: “Ignore my previous post.” Yet, the damage had already been done, with many tagging federal authorities, including the Federal Election Commission and the FBI.

The controversy added fuel to a broader political discussion, as Elon Musk—who does not have a formal political background—continued to make unsubstantiated claims about the U.S. electoral system. At Trump’s rally in Butler, he warned, “This will be the last election if Trump doesn’t win,” stating without evidence that future elections could be abolished if the former president is not victorious in November.

This incident highlights the broader challenges facing the Musk family as public figures—particularly when their influential comments intersect with volatile political issues like election integrity.