National Voter Registration Day mobilizes celebrity action
Celebrities are stimulating civic engagement, which could sway the election.
Tuesday marks National Voter Registration Day, a nonpartisan civic holiday that seeks to celebrate democracy by encouraging the American public to participate in civic engagement.
With just under 50 days until Election Day, the future of America rests in the hands of voters.
This day represents an opportunity for celebrities to exert their influence, with many utilizing social media to direct their large fan bases toward voting information.
Vote.org partnered with Linktree Tuesday, engaging high profile celebrities such as Olivia Rodrigo, Stephen Curry, and Kerry Washington who have turned their Linktree profiles into "voter registration hubs."
According to a Vote.org press release, the "link-in-bio" social media feature is the "most valuable online real estate" for these "influential figures."
“We are already seeing high voter engagement numbers and expect that to continue throughout the day,” CEO of Vote.org Andrea Hailey told ABC News. She also explained in the press release that “National Voter Registration Day is the perfect opportunity for every American to celebrate our democracy and the power of our vote.”
According to a 2022 National Voter Registration report, the holiday in 2022 achieved a “lifetime total of 5 million voter registrations in the 10 years since its 2012 founding.”
Siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas announced to their combined 123.2 million Instagram followers on Tuesday that they are endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
"Vote like your life depends on it because it does," Eilish said in the Instagram video.
"Their endorsement on National Voter Registration Day is another great example of how celebrities can use their platform to share a call to action and help members of their community navigate the voting process," Ashley Spillane, author of a recent Harvard study that found celebrities do have an impact on elections, said in a statement shared with ABC News.
In addition to her work with Vote.org, Washington plans to celebrate National Voter Registration Day by working with the social app SPILL to #SPILLTHEVOTE, according to a spokesperson for the platform. She is hosting a live tea party conversation Tuesday evening to discuss matters important to voters.
Swifties for Kamala – a grassroots group of Taylor Swift fans supporting Harris – also recognized National Voter Registration Day with an Eras-tour inspired info-graphic detailing voting deadlines on Tuesday.
Two days after Taylor Swift endorsed Harris for president last week, Vote.org recorded more than 52,000 registrations via its website, with over 10,000 registrations coming from presidential battleground states.
While there is no way to connect each registration to Swift's post directly, Hailey told ABC News, "Taylor Swift's impact on voter engagement is undeniable."
Though Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said Friday that Swift was "fundamentally disconnected from the interests and the problems of most Americans" and former president Donald Trump said, "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" Sunday, their campaign continues to utilize Swift-related content. Previously, Trump had shared AI-generated images suggesting Taylor Swift and her fans were endorsing him, and his campaign recently launched Eras-tour related merch on behalf of Trump.
Vote.org also announced partnerships with Snapchat, Tinder, and Saks on Tuesday -- efforts that they believe will reach "an unprecedented number of eligible voters."
The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization said it has already registered over one million Americans to vote during this election cycle, with 79% being voters under the age of 35. Its strategic partnerships with influencers have become a "core pillar" of its efforts, the organization said.
ICON MANN, a media production and management consultancy representing African Diasporic heritage, also participated in National Voter Registration Day by assembling marginalized Hollywood voices for a video campaign titled, "I, TOO AM AMERICA."
Inspired by Langston Hughes' "I, Too" poem, the campaign features celebrities and civic leaders of minority identity to emphasize the "importance of voting as a unifying force."
"This election feels urgent," Tony Award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose said before adding, "I vote to have a choice over my body."
"I vote to love who I love," actor and activist Jason Butler Harner also said in the campaign.
While these efforts to "get the vote out" are nonpartisan, the candidates have been keen on incorporating celebrity culture into their campaigns.
With famous performances at rallies and an abundance of online attention, Harris has been seen as the candidate most appealing in pop culture.
However, Trump has turned to the power of celebrities as well, such as his Las Vegas rally Saturday where he welcomed young social media stars Bryce Hall and NELK Boys.
Content creator Tana Mongeau also implied in a recent episode of her "Cancelled" podcast that she had allegedly been offered "a lot of money" to endorse a candidate, demonstrating the emphasis the campaigns are placing on celebrity support.
ABC News' Oren Oppenheim contributed to this report.