Taylor Swift's endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election has sparked a remarkable surge in voter registrations. Reported by CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister and Betsy Klein, Swift's Instagram post on September 10 prompted a substantial increase in activity on voter registration platforms. Following a presidential debate between Harris and Donald Trump, Swift's post included a link to Vote.gov, leading to nearly half a million users rushing to register to vote.
Quantifying the impact, Tom Bonier, a senior advisor at TargetSmart, noted that voter registrations surged by an unprecedented 9,000 to 10,000 individuals per hour after the publication of Swift’s post. The overall increase in voter registration is estimated to be between 400% and 500%. Bonier stated, "It's really unlike anything I've seen."
The political landscape has also reacted to Swift’s endorsement. Former President Donald Trump remarked that Swift could face consequences for her vocal support of Harris, labeling her as "a very liberal person." This shift marks a notable change from Swift's prior support of Joe Biden during the 2020 election cycle.
In addition to her endorsement, Swift is actively promoting informed voting, denouncing misinformation that misrepresents her political views, specifically the wrongful use of AI-generated images suggesting her endorsement of Trump. Her influence in the political realm was also visible at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, where she won seven out of ten nominations. This highlights her substantial reach that extends beyond the music industry as the election approaches.