In a remarkable display of civic engagement, the nonpartisan nonprofit organization Vote.org experienced a substantial surge in voter registrations, courtesy of none other than Taylor Swift.
On National Voter Registration Day, Vote.org reported an astonishing influx of 157,041 eligible voters visiting their site. Moreover, the day witnessed 35,252 new voter registrations, underscoring the profound impact of Taylor Swift’s outreach.
This surge was ignited when the Grammy-winning singer utilized her Instagram Stories, a platform boasting a staggering 272 million followers, to implore her fans to register to vote via Vote.org. Her message read, “Are you registered to vote yet? I’ve been so lucky to see so many of you guys at my US shows recently. I’ve heard you raise your voices, and I know how powerful they are. Make sure you’re ready to use them in our elections this year! Register to vote in less than 2 minutes at vote.org/NVRD.”
The ramifications were substantial; not only did Vote.org experience record-breaking traffic on its website, marking the most substantial National Voter Registration Day since 2020, but it also observed a remarkable 72 percent increase in 18-year-olds registering compared to 2019, along with a staggering 115 percent increase compared to 2022.
Andrea Hailey, the CEO of Vote.org, acknowledged the resounding impact, stating, “Time and time again, young people are showing up and demonstrating they care about their rights and access to the ballot box. During the day on Tuesday, we saw a 1226% jump in participation the hour after Taylor Swift posted. Our site was averaging 13,000 users every 30 minutes – a number that Taylor Swift would be proud of.”
This isn’t Taylor Swift’s first foray into encouraging voter registration or emphasizing the importance of casting a ballot. In 2018, she utilized her social media platforms to urge her followers to register, coupling her call to action with an endorsement of two Democratic candidates. At that juncture, Vote.org also bore witness to a significant uptick in registrations, underscoring the enduring influence of celebrities in promoting civic engagement.
