Max Sanders decided it would be funny if he sold his vote in the upcoming presidential election on Ebay – minimum bid $10. And while I agree that it’s pretty funny, he’s now been charged with one count of bribery, treating and soliciting, a felony under an 1893 Minnesota law that makes it a crime to offer to buy or sell a vote. The law was used extensively in the 1920’s says this article, when people sold their votes for liquor.
A whole slew of Minnesota government officials are apparently looking at this as a meal ticket. Sanders faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The eBay listing has been taken down.
I’ll be listing my vote on Ebay, too, in protest of this. This is absurd. Thanks for the tip Matt.
What a bunch of horsecrap. People should be able to do whatever they want with their vote. Next thing you know they are going to make Marijuana illegal. Jeez.
I’m just wondering how does the person that sold their vote actually prove who he/she voted for .
kk – he said he’s video himself voting
This is so dumb. He should be able to sell his vote. Like a vote really even matters – this country was bought our years ago by corporations. Congressmen sell their vote all the time, it’s called campaign financing. If you don’t think that the people who give money expect the donatees to vote on things in their favor, you are naive and stupid.
While I agree with the law (otherwise it would be the candidate with the most of money that wins, regardless of their beliefs) I think the punishment is a bit harsh. I doubt Max really knew that his actions were illegal otherwise he wouldn’t risk 5 years of jail time. He’ll probably be ok, but now everyone knows.
What I find disgusting that members of Congress are selling their votes all the time by accepting “donations” from all those PACs and lobbies and yet when YOU try to sell YOUR vote, they put you in prison.
US has become one of the most corrupt countries in the World.
This really just seems like an advertising stunt for that new Kevin Costner movie.
This was a really dumb idea, he deserves what’s coming. Lets all stop trying to be so post-modern and actually give a shit about our culture.
Yeah, trading money for votes is wrong.
By the way, how many massive entitlements and handouts will Senator Barack Obama promise me to buy my vote?
I bet there will be tonnes more of these…
I agree the punishment is absolutely harsh- especially one that 99% of Americans would not know is illegal. However, it is incredible stupid and dangerous. It SHOULD be illegal. I also think it sucks that lobbyists “buy” votes of politicians. It is a shame. Very much a shame.
Claiming that you didn’t know that selling votes was illegal sounds like a failing of the educational system, specifically civics class.
If the government is going to be this frivolous, I think they should take Ebay down since it was collaborating with Max. It was wrong of Ebay to allow this 19 year old to make the post in the first place…
Max Sanders forgot a crucial part! First you must to become a senator, and then you sell your vote to the highest bidder.
Silly Max! Michael i hope you’re taking note, i wouldn’t know what to do for 5years without you.
absurd? selling your vote is perhaps the most anti-american activity i can think of off the top of my head.
especially around the 4th, when we celebrate our independence and think of those who have sacrificed so much to give us that voice in our government….it makes me physically ill to think that someone actually approves of this.
i’m done getting my “news” from you blog.
So, to get this straight, the writer of this blog supports vote-trading? This is like something the Yes Men could come up with. (In fact, they did.)
Wait… why is it absurd?
We want a govenment where rich people get to choose who wins?
Whaaa?
I support it. That is the only way to make any “CHANGE” out of this farce.
Are you really that dense, Arrington, to not see why selling your vote is a horrible idea?
I agree! We should always have the richest candidate become the president of the United States.
Bravo TechCrunch! Bravo!
Just a thought: This potentially shows you Arrington’s view on many things, including how he selects startups that are obsessively profiled on this blog.
I’m not sure why this is absurd at all. If he does get the maximum that would be kind of harsh, but since he hasn’t even been found guilty yet we’ll have to wait and see what happens.
Selling your vote undermines the very nature of our democracy and needs to be taken seriously. If you allow people to sell their votes then you allow the person with the most money to directly buy the election.
And if you decide to go through with your threat Michael I hope you get arrested as well. The issue is not a joke.
I’ll be everyones vote.
It was a joke com’on!
It was like the guy who was selling his “virginity”… If someone was bidding on it he/she should have faced same sort of punishment cause slavery (owning rights over other person) was abolished a couple of years ago (at least in US).
Have a little bit more of sense of humor please.
But DON’T sell your vote. Think with your BRAINnot with your pocket.
so if there were no bids, where is the crime exactly?
Without willingness of spamming here, I’d like to add that “democracy” and “money” are strictly attached as “media” and “winning presidential elections” are, so “money” and “winning presidential elections” are so linked as “democracy” and “media”.
The more money you have to buy media, the more chances to win a presidential election you have: nowadays democracy (?).
selling your vote shouldn’t be a crime, but buying a vote should be
yea… I think you people have it too good in the US… you folks should try living in a corrupt society with a disfunctional democracy. Then again… may be this (vote buying) should really be allowed so that you guys can have a taste of the consequence in a few decades or so.
IMO selling and buying both are so lame and both should be counted as crime, what a bad way of making money and winning =/
http://www.cdlp...amp;storyID=150
voteauction.com
“I’ll be listing my vote on Ebay, too, in protest of this. This is absurd.”
I’ll go see you on visiting days Mike unless they put you in Federal!
The theory that people vote and elect their representatives by their own will is the basis of democracy – otherwise Hillary Clinton would just have to spend a few dollars…..
Although radical, it’s an expected behaviour that it’s anti-moral in a democratic society. Hey, you won’t sell yourself as a sex slave, or at least, a few people would mention it, and the trade would be illegal in some countries, even if happens.
How is this different than how the politicians in NJ operate regularly? Political decisions are based on who is in whose pocket and who buys who out. It’s the same thing except that it’s being done by people who are actually in a position of enough power to make these bought votes count. Compare how much of a difference this guys vote will make compared to those in power here in NJ where changes are regularly bought. Do as I say and not as I do then?
So I guess this guy wasn’t union?
I think making that statement is a crime because it’s conspiracy to sell your vote. There’s no disclaimer, ie, (this is a joke).
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I got a screenshot of this for archival purposes
http://www.flic...413949/sizes/o/
“I’ll be listing my vote on Ebay, too, in protest of this. This is absurd.” is a quote from Mike Arrington.
The only reason I am providing an archive is if it’s changed for some reason. Selling votes is pretty rude. It would mean that rich people could take over by way of buying votes, and the United States would become like Canada with people like Lord Conrad Black, Mulroney, and Chretien.
The morons who think this is such a corrupt and horrible country can leave whenever they want. There are no fences keeping any of you idiots in. Either stop whining, or LEAVE! No one has the perfect system, it’s an impossibility to please everyone, but you go pick another country and live there for a while and see how you feel then.
And it’s been illegal to sell a vote in any state for at least a hundred years. Selling votes in the congress or senate has no bearing on picking the president. That vote should never be for sale, or we will be another 3rd world dictatorship, just ask the people in Venezuela.
This is from #11 – “sounds like a failing of the educational system”. This is a bit off topic but there are many other things that are omitted from our educational system. One thing that bothers me the most is the fact that all Americans have to file taxes, yet that subject isn’t mentioned in our schools either. Just thought I’d rant on that issue as well.
trading votes is as illegal as gambling, yet it happens. just like insurance companies are in gambling business, media trades votes….
this guy could be just kidding, or making a statement. either way, I don’t think he did it for the money. if he did it for money, than he’d better come up with something else quick! he’s going to need it….
a college kid placing a vote for $10 a felony?
C’mon…a slap on the wrist will do
more importantly – that newscaster is hot
its immoral to sell your vote on ebay. Do you want this beautiful country to become a country only controlled by who has the most money than by principles?
Paula
http://www.websiteduty.com
So companies can “donate” to special interest groups and lobbyists and politicians.
But the average person can’t get into this business? Kinda sad if you really think about it.
I’d be willing to pay tax, but we should without question be able to sell a vote. If a congressman can take a “donation”, why can’t I take a “donation”?
Sadly the US doesn’t even let you defer a vote to someone else. We’re still patting ourselves on the back for letting women vote.
@bendered: Your either just a troll or inept (my personal guess). 1. Venezuela really has nothing to do with sold votes. 2. If you cared even remotely about your country you’d try and improve it, not harass those who do care enough to point out the flaws. By your logic anyone who objected to slavery (which was well entrenched in US law at the time including the three-fifths compromise is anti-american.
Imagine presidential candidates being able to buy peoples’ votes. Imagine corporations funding candidates to to win the White House and make policies favoring them. Imagine the lack of accountability that results from buying votes. Imagine the utter freedom of policymaking.
You internet junkies are going too far with your affinity toward the internet and its many possibilities. I can agree with your stance on taking down music copyright restrictions. But I cannot reconcile with the idea of being able to sell your votes. It’s like selling out. Moderation in everything is a good thing.
Yeah, sorry, but buying and selling votes most definitely should not be a legal activity. If it were, then a few million dollars in bribes from rich people could swing rather important elections. We already have enough problems with money influencing politics, let’s not add another.
Yeah, allowing votes to be bought and sold is a bad idea on many levels.. but imagine what kind of an economic stimulus election years would bring!
Mike, once again you have proved how immature you really are. Voting is a privilege that many people around the world don’t have. By selling your vote to someone else you are not only giving the middle finger to those soldiers who are fighting everyday to guarantee that right but also belittling those who are threatened in other country to vote for whatever dictator is in power. Is everything about you for sale? You might think the law is silly and that is certainly your right. But knowingly breaking the law is idiotic.
Wow. I’m convinced that about a third of the comments here are posted with an implied *wink*.
This was a prank. It wasn’t an indictment of our political system, or “the troops”, or about how much the USA kicks F***ing ass. IT. WAS. A. PRANK! Was it funny? Personally, I don’t think so… but I “get it”.
I don’t think anyone is saying vote buying/selling should be legal. But the laws were put into place for a much different reason. And if this kid gets anything more than a kick in the pants and stern warning, it’s a travesty of justice.
hell, i will GIVE mine away … keep the change
To #19 (Michael) who said:
” I agree! We should always have the richest candidate become the president of the United States. ”
Isn’t this already the case?
Try running for President on a middle income and see how far you get. How many presidents were not at least millionaires when they landed the job?
Protest of what, Michael? Everything is supposed to be for sale? Even our democracy? I grew up in Minnesota, and I’ve known since at least sixth grade that it was illegal to sell your vote. You can feign outrage, and people can hide behind the guise that congress people sell their votes all the time, and this is no worse than that. But who are you kidding? Somethings are still beyond the pale. Get a life.
If anyone is guilty it is Ebay, because they should have checked the listing before allowing it to be posted to make sure it does not violate any laws of the country and the sate they are incorporated!
I seem to remember a news clip from the (maybe Sac Bee) in the 2000 election about some kid not selling his vote, but his ‘attention’
the auction was something like –
“My vote is not on auction. Only I can make that decision, however what you are bidding on is my time and attention. The winning bidder will have the privilege of 3 day of my time. I will fly to where-ever you want (within reason) at your expense. And during this time I will view whatever political materials you present me and give you my honest opinion of me and my generation. I am a college educated undecided 22 year old who has never voted or been affiliated in politics before.”
I remember that the auction got taken down after the press – not because it was against the law or TOS, but because eBay just didn’t even want to go there.
Just to be clear to Doug and others who are being intentionally dense, the ridiculous part of this story is the fact that we are spending government resources to prosecute him. kids do stupid things, like try to sell their vote on ebay. this is being prosecuted to get media attention to a few individuals.
In the game of buying and selling votes, it’s much better to be on the buying end.