Election Day 2024 has come and gone, and with it, the American people’s opinions on presidential candidates and the policies they stood for.
Due to the intensity of the race, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump sought endorsements from public figures in hopes of fueling support for their campaigns, especially from younger voters.
Celebrities, including musicians Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Beyoncé, backed Harris, and podcaster Joe Rogan and online personality Jake Paul endorsed Trump, engaging millions of potential Gen Z voters in political discourse.
Celebrity rally appearances made major waves online, with many musicians not only performing their most beloved hits but also calling their fans to action with a speech.
American rapper Cardi B was invited to speak at the Harris-Walz rally on Nov. 2, 2024, at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wis.
As a frequent activist on her social media, Cardi B delivered a 10-minute speech, calling for action to protect women’s rights. In her speech, Cardi B further spoke on this opportunity to ignite young voices.
“I do not take lightly the call to show up, the call to speak up, the call to deliver a message that’s been on my heart a hot minute now,” the performer said.
Trump had his share of celebrity endorsements, including Hulk Hogan, Kid Rock and Elon Musk, who has donated more than $120 million to the America PAC he created to back Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
He also stated he would give $1 million a day to a random voter who had signed his petition to uphold the rights to free speech and to bear arms, which came under fire regarding legality.
Musk spoke at Trump’s Madison Square Garden campaign in New York on Oct. 27, 2024, mentioning the Department of Government Efficiency and his aim to help cut wasteful spending once Trump returned to office.
“So whether it’s direct taxation or all government spending – it either becomes inflation or its direct taxation – your money is being wasted, and the Department of Government Efficiency is going to fix that. We’re going to get the government off your back and out of your pocketbook,” Musk promised.
With their concentration following, voices like Cardi B and Musk serve as valuable assets that attract high media coverage to influence and mobilize their audiences.
However, the 2024 election year is not the first time in which celebrities have been utilized to rally voters and encourage civic participation and voter turnout. Their value to political campaigns has been used since 1920, which HISTORY cites as the start of the trend.
From Babe Ruth for President Wilson in 1915, Frank Sinatra for John F. Kennedy in 1960 and Barbra Streisand for Bill Clinton in 1996, there has been no lack of celebrity endorsements over time.
In August 2024, a study from the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation found that celebrity endorsements are vital for democracy as they can garner more voter registrations and turnout.
“Celebrities have many opportunities to contribute to greater voter participation at all stages of their own civic journeys, whether they have never publicly discussed voting or are seasoned leaders with years of experience recruiting new voters and civic participants,” the study states.
In the age of heavy digital consumption, political campaigns prioritize social media platforms, given that 82% of teens use social media as a means to gain information on the election.
Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift continuously uses her platform to encourage voter registration. In 2018, Swift was able to amass approximately 65,000 new voter registrations at vote.org in 24 hours, which grew to 250,000 in 72 hours, all through an Instagram Story post to her 112 million followers at the time.
“Taylor Swift’s post was a major inflection point for the organization and voter registration that [2018] election cycle. The registration activation she single-handedly generated was unlike anything we’d seen at that point,” said the founder of vote.org, Debra Cleaver.
Sabrina Gordon, a first-year art major at Moorpark College, shared her thoughts on celebrity endorsements and how they are a double-edged sword.
“You have to look at the overall what’s going on politically, in the world, also what is the message of the person doing the politics, but also what’s the message that the artists or any famous person is trying to also send?” She said.
Gordon later advised followers to conduct their own research and to not take statements at face value.
“Does it clash, does it make sense, does it align?” Gordon asked.
Makyla Bell, a first-year fine arts major at Moorpark College, discussed her wishes for artists and celebrities alike to voice their support and give help year-round, not just to political figures.
“It’s cool that they’re putting their money into voting and trying to get people to vote and stuff like that, but I think they should worry about people who are actually struggling as well,” Bell said.
Celebrity endorsements continue to be valuable in the political world, with their evident power and influence. These endorsements play a pivotal role in the mobilization of voters and the heightened awareness of political issues.
