With the 2024 Presidential Election less than a month away, celebrities have been using their social media platforms to voice who they will be voting for on Nov. 5. Every time another celebrity endorsement is posted, the responses from the public seem very divided. Some believe that these endorsements are beneficial in helping undecided young voters make a decision, while others think celebrities should entirely stay out of politics and keep their opinions to themselves. So, in a time when our country is facing extreme political polarization, do celebrity endorsements really matter?
Some of the world’s biggest celebrities have expressed their support for democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris since the beginning of her campaign. Taylor Swift, Alex Cooper, Billie Eilish, Meg Thee Stallion and Olivia Rodrigo have shared on social media that they will be voting for Harris in November.
Since Taylor Swift endorsed President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, many people were counting on Swift to publicly endorse Harris. Swift did face some scrutiny online for not making an endorsement sooner, but on Sept. 10, she posted to Instagram announcing her support for Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz.
Many young undecided voters have felt displeased with their options for presidential candidates this election. Celebrity endorsements especially ones like Swift who has an immense influence on Gen Z can encourage young undecided voters to vote. CBS News reported that more than 400,000 users went to vote.gov to look at voter registration information after seeing Swift’s post.
Singer Chappell Roan was criticized online for refusing to endorse Harris. On Sept. 24, the singer posted a video on TikTok explaining her political views and why she does not feel comfortable endorsing any of the candidates this election year. She said, “I have so many issues with our government in every way. There are so many things that I would want to change. So I don’t feel pressured to endorse someone.”
In the video, Chappell Roan did say she would still be voting for Harris, but does not agree with many of Harris’s policies and decisions. Many viewers felt upset after watching the video and disagreed with Chappell Roan’s statements. People online believed that because of the singer’s huge platform, she should encourage her audience to vote for Harris, much like Taylor Swift’s statement. Other viewers believed what Chappell Roan said was brave and authentic and agreed with her opinions on Harris.
Another celebrity was facing backlash online for sharing her political views. Alex Cooper, creator of the podcast “Call Her Daddy,” recently interviewed Kamala Harris. Since the topics on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast mostly revolve around sex, dating and celebrity news some people felt that it was unusual for Cooper to discuss politics. Some people felt upset over the interview and questioned what Cooper would even know about politics.
However, Alex Cooper’s audience is primarily young females, and the issues she was discussing with Harris appeal heavily to female voters. Whether people agree with Cooper or not she is still a female voter with opinions and influence over other female voters. If people want important topics such as abortion and women’s rights to have visibility in the media, then this podcast was beneficial in gathering support among young female voters to vote for Harris.
Not only have celebrities endorsing Kamala Harris been attacked online, but also celebrities endorsing the republican candidate, former President Donald Trump. Hulk Hogan, Kid Rock, Bryce Hall and Amber Rose have all endorsed Donald Trump for the 2024 election.
Amber Rose especially was at the center of attention online after the speech she made at the Republican National Convention in July. Many people online were shocked by Rose’s endorsement of Trump considering her history of speaking out against gender inequality and sexual violence.
The internet influencer Bryce Hall also recently endorsed Trump at one of the campaign’s rallies. Bryce Hall became popular on TikTok and has been under fire in the media multiple times for being arrested for fighting and being in possession of drugs. Hall has over 23 million followers on TikTok and his audience is comprised of mostly young males which makes him appealable to young voters. Some people online have worried because of Hall’s violent past if that makes him the best person to represent a presidential candidate. However, he still has many young followers who will be influenced to vote for Trump because of his endorsement.
I think celebrity endorsements can have a huge impact on candidates’ campaign support especially when it comes to young voters. People aged 18 to 29 have historically had the worst voter turnout in presidential elections. They are also the most active age group on social media platforms so these celebrity endorsements are easily accessible to them.
Young undecided voters can also become persuaded to vote for a candidate based on an endorsement their favorite celebrity made. They are a useful tool for candidates looking to increase their support from the younger generation. Additionally, when celebrities make a post endorsing candidates with correct and useful information on voter registration and the candidate’s platforms it can help create more informed voters.