At the mere suggestion of Taylor Swift’s request, the singer-songwriter’s adoring fans would tear down and rebuild mountains. This week, she told Swifties that might be disenchanted by politics: Don't get sad — get even.
On Tuesday, this year’s National Voter Registration Day, Swift asked her fans to do their part to participate in the democratic process, and they listened en masse.
According to the nonprofit, nonpartisan Vote.org, more than 35,000 people registered to vote on the site on Tuesday.
“During the day on Tuesday we saw a 1,226% jump in participation the hour after Taylor Swift posted,” Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey said in a news release. “Our site was averaging 13,000 users every 30 minutes — a number that Taylor Swift would be proud of.” (Swift says her lucky number is 13.)
The site credited Swift’s Instagram story, a call-to-action text post that asked her fans to make themselves heard at the voting booths just as they do at her concerts.
“I’ve been so lucky to see so many of you guys at my US shows recently,” she said. “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!” She ended the post with a link to vote.org, adding that a person can register to vote with the site in only a couple of minutes.
The nonprofit website is pledging to register 8 million voters ahead of the November 2024 presidential election, and the Swift bump was just the start.
“We’ve already launched our registration program with our youth efforts across campuses, influencer engagement, radio, digital, social media and direct voter contacts. The 2024 election is already here, and now, it’s time to turn this enthusiasm into votes.” Hailey said on Instagram.
In a thread posted on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, Hailey shared impact stats going beyond the superstar musician’s boost.
The 35,000 registrations were an increase of 22.5% from 2022’s Voter Registration Day. About 50,000 people verified their voting information through the site, and registrations of 18-year-old voters jumped by 115% compared to the year before. The site also saw an 849% increase compared to 2021.
“This generation’s eagerness to participate is a game changer. They are the future, and their energy will shape the outcomes of upcoming elections,” Hailey said.