As election day rapidly approaches, some celebrities have utilized their social media platforms to encourage fans to go out and vote. Voter turnout rates are often low, and the average turnout rate for the past three general elections was only sixty percent. Given the extremely divisive and volatile state of this year’s election, it is admirable that some celebrities are using their fame to inspire other citizens to register and vote.
On Oct. 20, New Girl star Zooey Deschanel uploaded a video to her Instagram that encouraged people to vote. Alongside Deschanel, the clip featured actors Zoe Lister-Jones as Fawn Moscato, Jake Johnson as Nick Miller and Lamorne Morris as Winston Bishop. The crew advised people to have a plan for how they would vote, whether by mail or in-person, and stressed the importance of correctly filling out the ballots. This isn’t the first time Deschanel has encouraged her fans to vote; she has uploaded many posts to Instagram with captions in support of voting and includes an informational link in her bio.
Taylor Swift, who was named the Artist of the Decade at last November’s American Music Awards, has also taken to social media in an attempt to motivate her fans to vote in this election. The singer, along with a number of other influencers such as model Bella Hadid and singer Janelle Monae, was featured on a cover of V Magazine in an issue meant to raise awareness about the importance of voting. Swift has been outspoken about her political beliefs, and has taken to Twitter on numerous occasions to show her support for presidential candidate Joe Biden. On National Voter Registration Day, Swift even uploaded a video to her Instagram story to encourage people to get registered and vote.
Ashley Frangipane, better known as the singer-songwriter Halsey, has recently been using her platform to inspire citizens to become more involved in politics. Over the summer, Halsey was outspoken about her support of the Black Lives Matter movement and even provided medical aid to others at a Los Angeles protest. Like Swift, Halsey was also featured on a cover of V Magazine, and in the caption for her Instagram post of the issue, Halsey wrote, “Your willingness to take action on a single day of voting will birth results that effect generations to come. Be a catalyst for good!” On her Instagram and Twitter, Halsey has also posted a series of videos entitled “Bernie and Halsey Discuss America” in which she converses with Senator Bernie Sanders about important issues such as taxation, climate change, LGBTQ+ rights and health care.
Although most celebrities simply encourage voting, one singer has gone a step further and is asking citizens to vote for him. Kanye West famously announced he would be running for president in the 2020 election back in 2015, and he has since followed through on this claim. West took to Twitter on October 22nd and encouraged fans to write in his name on their ballots. His campaign has received some serious backlash from others, as many citizens are deeply disturbed by West’s actions. Actress Jennifer Aniston urged people to “be responsible” and not vote for Kanye West, Fox News reported.
It is inspiring to see so many celebrities use their platforms to encourage citizens to vote, although it is important to remember that it is the responsibility of those in positions of power to use their influence for good. Most importantly, though, these celebrities are conveying an important message; it is necessary that all who are eligible to vote do so. If we choose to remain silent, it only amplifies the voices of others who do vote. Ideally, we should all adhere to the advice of people like Taylor Swift and Halsey and go out and vote this November 3rd.