The Pledge Sweepstakes
Official Rules
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. YOU DO NOT NEED TO REGISTER TO VOTE, BE REGISTERED TO VOTE, OR CAST A BALLOT TO ENTER OR WIN. REGISTERING TO VOTE OR VOTING WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. A PURCHASE, PAYMENT, OR ANY VOTING-RELATED ACTION WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
1. Sponsor
The Pledge Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is sponsored by The 'Sota Project, a Minnesota nonprofit organization exempt under Section 501(c)(4), 1600 University Ave West, Suite 309, St. Paul, MN 55104-3800 (the “Sponsor”). The Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram, TikTok, or any government agency, election official, the Minnesota Secretary of State, or any candidate, campaign, or political party. Entrants understand that any information submitted in connection with the Sweepstakes is submitted to Sponsor and not to any social media platform.
2. Eligibility
The Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the State of Minnesota who are eighteen (18) years of age or older as of the date of entry. Employees, officers, directors, agencies, affiliates, and contractors of the Sponsor (“Promotion Partners”), and their immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling) and household members, are not eligible. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
The Sweepstakes is subject to these Official Rules and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Participation in the Sweepstakes constitutes an entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules. All decisions of Sponsor are in its sole discretion and are final and binding.
3. Entry Period
The Sweepstakes begins on September 1, 2026 at 8 am Central Time and ends on November 2, 2026 at 5 pm Central Time (the “Entry Period”). Entries submitted before or after the Entry Period will be disqualified. Sponsor’s computer is the official time-keeping device.
4. How to Enter
There are two free ways to enter. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary:
Pledge entry: Complete the Sponsor’s pledge-to-vote card at www.thesotaproject.com by providing all of the requested information and submitting the form electronically via Sponsor’s website.
Tell-a-friend entry: Complete the Sponsor’s pledge-to-vote card and encourage a friend to vote as directed on the form, and submit the form electronically via Sponsor’s website.
Completing the pledge card is a statement of intent only. It is not a promise to register or to vote, and the Sponsor does not and will not verify, require, or request proof that any entrant is registered to vote or has voted. Registering to vote and voting are entirely voluntary, are not conditions of entry or of winning, and do not affect an entrant’s odds. Limit one (1) entry per person for the Entry Period. Entries that are incomplete, illegible, duplicate, or submitted by robotic or automated means are void.
5. Prizes
One (1) Grand Prize: a scholarship award in the amount of $5,000, to be paid directly by Sponsor to the winner’s university’s financial aid office (ARV $5,000). Fifty (50) additional prizes: a $100 gift card (ARV $5,000). Total approximate retail value of all prizes: $10,000. Prizes are non-transferable, non-assignable, and may not be redeemed for cash, except at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any prize, in whole or in part, with a prize of equal or greater value if the advertised prize becomes unavailable for any reason.
6. Odds of Winning
Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received by Sponsor during the Entry Period.
7. Winner Selection and Notification
Winners will be randomly selected in a random drawing from among all eligible entries on or about November 9, 2026. The drawing will be conducted by the Sponsor or its designated representative. All decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to the Sweepstakes. Potential winners will be notified by email or phone using the contact information provided in the pledge form. Potential winners will be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and a liability/publicity release, and a tax form (e.g., IRS Form W-9), within seven (7) days from notification by Sponsor. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to respond within the required time, or fails to return required documents, the prize may be forfeited and an alternate winner selected.
8. Taxes
All federal, state, and local taxes on any prize are the sole responsibility of the winners. The Sponsor will issue an IRS Form 1099 to any winner of the $5,000 award. Winners may be required to provide Sponsor with a Social Security number or taxpayer identification number for tax-reporting purposes.
9. Privacy and Use of Information
Information collected from entrants is subject to the Sponsor’s privacy policy at www.thesotaproject.com/privacy and may be used to administer the Sweepstakes and for the Sponsor’s civic-engagement and organizing communications. By entering, entrants consent to the Sponsor’s collection and use of the information submitted in the Sweepstakes for these and other lawful business purposes.
Except where prohibited by law, participation in the Sweepstakes and acceptance of a prize constitute permission to use the winner's name, prize won, image, voice, likeness, geographic and biographic information, social media names and handles, audio and video recordings, photographs, and statements for purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity, in any and all media now or hereafter known throughout the world, without additional compensation, notification or permission.
10. General Conditions
By entering, entrants agree to these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor. The Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entrant who is ineligible or who tampers with the entry process, violates these rules, or acts in a disruptive, unfair, fraudulent, or unlawful manner. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Sweepstakes or any portion thereof, for any reason, including due to a cause which corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to award any prize and to disqualify any entry or any entrant who alters, tampers with, or attempts to alter or tamper with, the entry process or operation of the Sweepstakes. Sponsor and the Promotion Partners are not responsible for: (i) lost, late, misdirected, damaged, or illegible entries; (ii) error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions of any kind; or (iii) any injury or damage to any person's computer, computer peripherals, or mobile device related to or resulting from participating in the Sweepstakes. To the extent permitted by law, entrants release and hold harmless the Sponsor, Promotion Partners, Instagram, and TikTok from any claims, demands, losses, liability or damages arising from participation in the Sweepstakes or from acceptance or use of a prize.
11. Governing Law
The Sweepstakes and these Official Rules are governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. All entrants consent to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Minnesota. BY ENTERING, PARTICIPANTS AGREE THAT (A) ANY AND ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS, AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE SWEEPSTAKES WILL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION; (B) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND AWARDS WILL BE LIMITED TO PARTICIPANT’S ACTUAL, DOCUMENTED OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS DIRECTLY RELATED TO PARTICIPATION, AND IN NO EVENT WILL ATTORNEYS' FEES BE AWARDED OR RECOVERABLE; AND (C) NO AWARDS FOR PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES WILL BE AVAILABLE.
12. Winners List
For a list of winners, send a postage-prepaid envelope to The 'Sota Project, Attn: The Pledge Sweepstakes Winners List, 1600 University Ave West, Suite 309, St. Paul, MN 55104-3800 on or before December 1, 2026.