Elon Musk criticized voting by mail as an “insane” concept that promotes election fraud. However, records of his voting history obtained by NBC News reveal that he himself voted by mail twice while residing in California.
According to records, Musk participated in the voting process through mail in both the November 2016 presidential election, where Donald Trump emerged victorious over Hillary Clinton, and the November 2018 midterm election. It is worth noting that Musk resided primarily in Los Angeles during this period.
According to state records, Musk’s voting history in California is sparsely documented. Over the course of 18 years of eligibility, he participated in only two elections. It was in 2002, when he became a U.S. citizen, that he became eligible to vote. However, it wasn’t until he reached the age of 45, 14 years later, that he cast his first ballot. The records indicate that he was actively registered to vote by August 2006.
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Musk did not take part in several elections, including presidential races featuring Barack Obama, John McCain, and Mitt Romney. He also abstained from voting in primary elections and local elections. California’s open primary system allows all registered voters to participate.
For the first time, the public now has access to Elon Musk’s voting records in California. NBC News obtained this information through a public records request made to the California secretary of state’s office. Initially, the office declined to provide Musk’s voter file, citing that it doesn’t offer records for canceled registrations. However, the decision was later reversed, allowing the records to be made public.
According to Musk’s voter file, he canceled his registration in the state in August 2020. In December 2020, during a conference, he announced that he had relocated to Texas.
NBC News reached out to Musk for comment regarding his voting history and his previous statements on mail-in ballots. In an email response, he did not address his voting record, but he reiterated his stance on voter fraud.
In his statement, he expressed his belief that voting by mail is widely acknowledged as a potential breeding ground for fraudulent activities.
Elon Musk has expressed his disapproval of voting by mail multiple times this year on his social media platform, X. However, it is important to note that his criticisms often contain inaccuracies and only provide a partial view of the U.S. election system. This is consistent with his tendency to share misleading or false information regarding election security.
“In January, he expressed his disbelief at the fact that in the USA, one does not require a government-issued ID to vote and can even mail in their ballot. He found this to be absolutely absurd.”
The notion that voter registration forms do not require ID numbers is misleading. In fact, these forms typically ask applicants to provide their ID numbers, which can include a driver’s license number, a state identification number, or a Social Security number, depending on the state’s specific requirements. Furthermore, certain states like Texas even ask for this information again when individuals cast their votes by mail. Additionally, in California, first-time voters are required to submit copies of their IDs along with their ballots.
In May, Musk made a false claim stating that widespread voting by mail was “not allowed” before the Covid-19 pandemic. He went on to say that the increase in voting by mail makes it nearly impossible to prove fraud.
According to state records, a majority of California voters, including Musk, opted for voting by mail in both the November 2018 and November 2016 elections. In 2018, 65% of California ballots were cast by mail, while in 2016, the figure was 58%.
All registered voters in California now have the option to vote by mail, as they receive their ballots in advance and can either mail them back or deliver them in person.
The California secretary of state’s office has chosen not to respond to Musk’s criticism. However, they did provide details on the measures taken to maintain the integrity of the system. The office verifies ID numbers against their records during the registration process and examines signatures for mail-in voting. Additionally, state law mandates that voters attest, under penalty of perjury, to their eligibility to vote. The office also records the IP addresses of all online voter registrations to prevent multiple registrations from the same device. These are just a few of the security measures in place.
Multiple investigations and studies have consistently found no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the United States. Instances of fraud related to mail-in or absentee ballots are extremely rare. In the few cases where such fraud has occurred, prosecutors have effectively taken legal action against the perpetrators. Notably, a highly publicized fraud scheme in North Carolina serves as an example of successful prosecution, contradicting Musk’s assertion that mail-in voting makes fraud nearly impossible to prove.
Musk’s Super PAC, known as America PAC, has been actively promoting absentee voting among swing state voters. Recently, an America PAC mailer was discovered in Wisconsin, which featured a QR code directing recipients to the organization’s website. The mailer included a clear message encouraging voters to utilize the QR code to apply for their absentee ballot. In Wisconsin, voters have multiple options for casting their absentee ballots, including mailing them in, delivering them to a county clerk’s office, or bringing them to a polling place.
After relocating to Texas, Musk reportedly cast his vote by absentee ballot in 2020, as reported by the Daily Beast. It remains uncertain whether he actually mailed the absentee ballot. The website further revealed that Musk participated in a Texas election in June 2022 but opted out of voting in the November 2022 election.
According to court records cited by Business Insider, Elon Musk is registered to vote in Brownsville, Texas, where his company SpaceX operates. However, as of December, he was reported to be living in Austin.
Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, consistently holds the top spot as the richest person in the world.
Elon Musk has been vocal in his criticism of voting by mail, but interestingly enough, he has also utilized this method himself. Similarly, Donald Trump has expressed his disapproval of mail-in voting while simultaneously participating in the process, as evidenced by his own use of mail-in voting during the 2020 election in Florida. It is worth noting that Musk has publicly endorsed Trump’s campaign for reelection, favoring him over Vice President Kamala Harris.
Voting by mail used to be primarily associated with Democrats as a strategy to increase voter participation. However, this year, some Republicans are also recognizing its potential to enhance turnout within their own party.
In a post on X this year, Musk revealed, “I used to vote exclusively for Democratic candidates until a few years ago.” While the details of his individual ballots remain undisclosed, the public records do not reveal Musk’s specific voting choices.
In 2016, he mentioned that he cast his vote for Clinton, and in 2020, he expressed his support for President Joe Biden.
Elon Musk is registered as having no party preference in California, which aligns with his self-identification as an independent.
