Comment Text:
Election futures are an important predictive tool as well as a targeted hedge against policies that would likely be implemented or not conditional on election outcomes. Although some people may use them speculatively, they are not any more or less risky than any other future. The CFTC should refrain from classifying these futures as "gambling" and recognize the legitimate economic interests of investors in 1) obtaining election predictions backed by market forces, and 2) using election futures to hedge risk.
