Taylor Swift isn’t shying away from politics this election season. With less than two months remaining until the 2024 Presidential election, Swift recently made two significant political messages. Immediately after the Presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on Sept. 11, the “Lover” singer announced her endorsement of Harris in an Instagram post. The singer’s endorsement has already begun making a difference in the election.
In her IG post, Swift explained why she’s casting her vote for Harris and Tim Walz in addition to encouraging first-time voters to register. “I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” the caption reads. “I also want to say, especially to first-time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered!…I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story.”
According to the General Services Administration, 405,999 visitors were directed to vote.gov through Swift’s Instagram Story as of Sept. 12.
Another voting website, Vote.org, increased in site visitors as well. A Vote.org spokesperson told CNN, there was a 585% increase in voters on the website during and after the debate. Vote.org CEO, Andrea Hailey, said the increase in site visitors was partially due to Swift’s post.
“Taylor Swift’s impact on voter engagement is undeniable,” Hailey said.
On Sept. 12, Swift gave another political message. She addressed young voters in her 2024 VMAs speech, which is the demographic the award show caters to. “If you are over 18, please register to vote for something else that’s very important… presidential election” she said.
Swifties know that 2024 isn’t the first time the Midnights singer has endorsed a candidate or encouraged her fans to be civically engaged. But the internet was questioning where Swift stood politically this election season ahead of her endorsing Harris. Who Swift was voting for was discussed a lot, given her friendship with Brittany Mahomes and the creation and use of an A.I. image of the singer to falsely endorse Trump.
In the past, Swift has increased voter registration through her social media posts, notably in 2018 and 2023. While how many individuals registered to vote as a result of her recent Instagram post and her speech is not yet known, Swift is still making a huge impact on voters — especially Gen Z ones.
Swift is using her influence to reach millions and encourage her followers to research and cast their votes on Nov. 5 and I love to see it!