Apple products raffle tickets a campaign come-on from a candidate for Baltimore city council.

Photo by: RCBmoreviews@gmail.com

Some political candidates use Apple products to write their position papers and email their staff.

Northeast Baltimore's Rodney C. Burris dangled a couple of the trendy devices in front of potential contributors as a way of raising cash.

In return for a contribution of $10, contributors get a chance to win an Apple Watch or iPad Mini, the 4th District City Council candidate offered.

"If you would like these gifts, just click our raffle link (takes less than 60 seconds!)," says an email sent out recently by rcbmoreviews@gmail.com to people in his district.

The link leads to a page that explains Burris' proposition:

"Support Rodney and you will be entered to win your choice of prize!"

Clicking on the "Purchase now!" link leads to a RaffleReady page that allows for as large as a $200 contribution, yielding 20 tickets.

Cheesy? Brilliant? Legal?

A quick search brought up this language from Maryland election law:

The cost of a raffle ticket sold by a candidate "may not exceed $5" and an individual contributor "may not purchase more than $50 worth of tickets."

Does candidate Burris need to downsize his raffle ambitions to stay on the right side of the law?

Summary Guide Maryland Candidacy & Campaign Finance Laws. (Maryland Board of Elections)

 Yes, said the candidate, an adjunct lecturer at the Community College of Baltimore County Essex and a former elected member of the Democratic Central Committee for Maryland's 43rd District.

Informed of the apparent conflict with state law, the candidate told The Brew via a voicemail message last night he is addressing it.

"Thanks so much for the information. Total oversight on my part," he said. "Jumping  right on it."