Vote to Win a Rifle, Georgia Raffle Promises
To get people excited about voting in the upcoming election, one local business owner is offering a chance to win a gun for those individuals who exercise their civic duty.
The company running the raffle is Adventure Outdoors and is located in Smyrna, Ga. The business is urging people to cast their ballots and then enter the raffle for a chance to win a Glock handgun or Browning rifle.
The company is advertising the contest on eight billboards around the town and the store's owner says that the contest is not about guns, but to get people excited to vote.
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"Getting people involved is what it's all about," store owner Jay Wallace told KWTK. "I would encourage other businesses to do the same thing."
Not everyone who has heard about the raffle is excited and even the secretary of state's office cautioned Wallace that only allowing people who vote to participate may be a violation of state and federal law.
But Wallace contends that his raffle is open to anyone, regardless if they vote or not, which does not violate the law.
Jared Thomas, spokesman for the secretary of state's office, said that they can proceed as long as anyone is allowed to enter the raffle.
"Should they violate what they told our office they would do, then that will be taken into account and actions will be taken accordingly," Thomas said.
Wallace said that he has received mostly a positive reaction from the local community over the contest, but reveals that some are not very excited about the idea.
"We received some almost slanderous emails," Wallace said. "I would say they're on the side of not liking guns, to put it mildly."
Customers at the store held mixed reactions.
"I think people should go vote because they're interested in the topics of what's being voted for, whether it's the president or your local judge," customer Ernest Susco told CBS. "To promote giving a gun away for someone to go to vote, I'm not crazy about that idea."
