Taylor Swift is using her platform to decide who to vote for this election year, as it's imperative. She's endorsing Kamala Harris, the current Vice President of the United States and the second woman in history to campaign for the presidency. If Harris gets elected, she'll be the first woman president. Of course, the campaigns of each candidate (the other being former President Donald Trump) have been intense for the public, as this is one election they've never seen before or probably will never see again.
Before Swift won big and made history at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), where she won Artist of the Year for the third year in a row, she took to Instagram to announce her presidential pick. Her post followed the heated debate between Harris and Trump on September 10th, where the latter posted AI photos of the singer endorsing Trump on Truth Social. Swift refuted his claims, and that is when she decided to come into focus on her nominee choice.
Taylor Swift officially endorses Kamala Harris-with Benjamin Button the Cat
Swift's post was 100% transparent regarding who she would vote for. She had done the necessary research and gathered all the facts before deciding. Swift addressed her "fears around AI" as Trump's post was filled with misinformation, something that should never be allowed in an election.
"Recently, I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth."
Moreover, Swift explained her concrete reasoning for choosing Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
"I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I'm voting for @KamalaHarris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe [in and we] need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader, and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @TImWalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman's right to her own body for decades."
While Swift's move to endorse Harris was hers and hers alone, she encouraged her fans and those who came across her photo of herself and her Himalayan cat, Benjamin Button, to register to vote and do their desired research on their chosen candidate. The Grammy winner also included registration information and early voting dates in her profile.
She must have had some effect in her words as it was reported on September 11th that Google Trends ticked in "Taylor Swift Voter Registration" peaked at 700%, with the majority of the searched rooted from young voters and those who are not quite the voting age, as they want to see a better, brighter, and stronger future.
Swift's impact could push the election in the left direction and if so, than she's more influential than initially thought.