‘Long Story Short’ Taylor Swift has large impact on voter registration
Sep 27, 2023, 8:30 AM | Updated: 8:31 am
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 12: Taylor Swift (C) accepts the Video of the Year award for "Anti-Hero" onstage at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
(Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. – Taylor Swift made an Instagram post encouraging her fans to register to vote. According to Vote.org, the post caused a surge in voter registration.
On Sept. 19, 2023, the superstar encouraged her 272 million followers to register to vote. Within two minutes of the post, Vote.org reported a jump in registrations. By the end of the day, the website reported 38,000 new registrations.
Leah Murray, host of KSL at Night and the director of the Walker Institute of Politics at Weber State University, said it demonstrates the power of Taylor Swift. Murray said that Swift caused a 115% increase in voter registrations by posting her message.
“It’s a political message … but it’s not a vote for ‘insert candidate here’ message,” said Murray. Swift’s message is not a partisan one, as she sent her fans to Vote.org.
“Thank goodness all these kids showed up,” said Murray.
According to a Gallup poll, there is a lot of bad blood between political institutions and young people.
Swift’s voice, to an extent, is more trusted by young people than politicians, according to Murray. Swift is a reference point and cue giver for her fans.
Murray said there is a likelihood that Swift’s fans [Swifties] will do research before they vote. She said they spend the time to figure out the Easter eggs Swift leaves as hints toward her music, so they are capable of figuring out who is running and what they support.
“If someone I trust and respect who is outside [of politics] … maybe I might do the work,” said Murray. Young voters are looking for a leader. Murray thinks Swift is the leader who will give young voters the courage to do the work.
Taylor Swift and politics
For most of her career, Swift was notably apolitical. Until 2018, she remained silent on her views.
According to Billboard’s timeline, Swift publicly spoke about her views for the first time that year.
Since then, she has released singles such as 2019’s “You Need to Calm Down,” which supports LGBTQ rights, and “Only the Young,” which was written to encourage her listeners to vote.
The September post is just Swift’s latest encouragement of her fans to do their research and use their votes to “Speak Now.”
Related reading:
