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Turnout the Vote paid “voting ambassadors” up to $200

Umito November 7, 2024

The Claim: Turnout the Vote Paid People $200 to Vote for Harris

An Instagram post from November 4 (direct link, archive link) includes a clip of a woman talking to the camera about a supposed money-making opportunity ahead of the presidential election.

“I received a text message offering me $200 to vote for Kamala Harris,” says the woman. “Are you telling me this election isn’t rigged?”

The video shows a screenshot of a text message purportedly from a representative of Turnout the Vote, an organization that aims to increase voter turnout.

“This is your last chance to join us as a Vote Ambassador to make sure everyone knows how important it is to vote for Kamala Harris this fall,” the text message read in part. “It’s entirely remote and you can earn up to $200.”

The post was liked more than 650 times per day.

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Our rating: False

The organization paid individuals to work as “voting ambassadors,” but the compensation was not contingent on receiving votes for Harris – this would have violated federal election law. A spokesperson for Turnout the Vote also told PolitiFact that this claim is false.

Participants could win up to $400, but not for their vote

While voting openly supported Harris’ candidacythe money mentioned in the Instagram post was not offered in exchange for votes for vice president.

The organization’s “Voting Ambassador” program worked to mobilize voters in the swing states of Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Participants could earn $160 for completing an onboarding program and an additional $40 for attending a Zoom event, according to the Turnout the Vote website. They could also earn $10 “per successful referral, up to $200,” for a total potential earning of $400.

Although the website invited participants to tout Harris in their discussions with voters, the compensation was not and could not be linked to whether votes for Harris were ultimately cast.

The organization “never pays anyone to register to vote, vote in general, or vote for a particular candidate.” PolitiFact reported, citing an interview with Turnout the Vote spokesperson Greta Carnes. “The organization also does not pay people to encourage anyone else to register to vote or vote.”

Federal election law prohibits paying individuals to register to vote or vote, because reported by USA TODAY.

Fact Check: South Carolina allows disabled, elderly voters to vote curbside

USA TODAY has debunked numerous claims related to the vote, including false claims that a the video shows a Haitian describing a plot to vote for Harris repeatedly in Georgia, this votes cast on ballot papers marked by election officials are invalid and a misspelling of former President Donald Trump’s name on an Ohio ballot could invalidate votes.

USA TODAY reached out to Turnout the Vote and the user who shared the post for comment, but did not immediately receive responses.

Check your fact also refuted this claim.

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