More than 35,000 people register to vote after Taylor Swift post

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

September 21, 2023 / 6:50 PM


Taylor Swift called out to fans to register on National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday and Swifties answered in droves. Swift posted an Instagram story directing her 272 million followers to Vote.org, a nonprofit organization that offers voter registration services. "Are you registered to vote yet?" Swift wrote. "I've been so lucky to see so many of you guys at my US shows recently. 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!"

How successful was Swift's message?

Vote.org averaged 13,000 users every half hour after Swift's post, Nick Morrow, the website's communications director posted on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. "Let's just say her reputation for being a mastermind is very well-earned," Morrow said.

Vote.org registered more than 35,000 voters after Swift's post, which was a 22.5% increase from the previous year, organization CEO Andrea Hailey said Wednesday. There was a 115% increase in registrations by 18-year-olds when compared to last year. The organization also helped 50,000 people verify their registration status.

"Wanna know something even more wild? We see an 849% increase here compared to 2021. 849%! This generation's eagerness to participate is a game changer," Hailey said in a social media post. "They are the future, and their energy will shape the outcomes of upcoming elections." Hailey described the numbers as Vote.org's "love letter" to Swift for amplifying voter voices.





Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-swift-encourages-voter-registration/

---

She supports Biden/Harris and Democrats. This is how you reach younger people and they do have subjects to rally around.

[OldBaldy1701E]

1. Yes, but whom does her fan base support?

Because I lived in Nashville and I have been around her 'fan base'. Good on her for making an attempt at getting out the vote.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Many in her "fan base"

voted to return Nashville state Rep. Justin Jones to the state House after the GOP fascist loons expelled him.

And there was this just after the Council voted unanimously to reappointment him prior to the above-noted special election -

[OldBaldy1701E]

4. I... don't see where these people are fans of Swift.

Was there a group with a banner that I missed or something. You may be making an assumption that those people are fans of hers. But, who knows, right?

[BumRushDaShow]

5. I never said "all" that protested and voted are her "fan base"

but I don't know how many videos have been shown about what happened to the "Tennessee Three" including both Justin Jones (Nashville) and Justin Pearson (Memphis) and the young gun-violence protestors who have been "storming the legislative chamber" and I expect many ARE her "fan base". The tragedy that precipitated it happened IN NASHVILLE.

All these 70,000 "non-existent fans", "non-fan" fans in Nashville -

Despite her being from my state of PA, I really had no idea who the hell she was until the concert ticket fiasco, aside from having heard the name bandied about.

But having followed that saga in TN, and having donated to both Justins and will donate to Gloria Johnson, who has as good a shot as any in a long while, at removing batshit crazy Blackburn -

it is heartening to see a new generation that is politically aware and who I hope will keep that going into the big election season.

My own family (on my father's side) had some who had moved south to Chattanooga in the 1800s to make a difference, so for a state where Al Gore hailed from, it is nice to see the sleeping now waking up.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

3. Higher turnout favors Democrats

[marble falls]

20. Needs to be put on billboards. We outnumber the GOP.

[riversedge]

21. It would be glorious to have over 60%!!

[Farmer-Rick]

23. The more voters that come out to vote

The more the crazy vote gets diluted and they lose.

The majority of people in the US are not crazy. But because living in this capitalist hell requires so much time, work and constant effort, a lot of people can't squeeze out the time and effort needed to jump through the hoops for vote registration and then follow up with voting.

The people who make sure they come out to vote are the crazies. Instead of just politics, they have the added incentive of having a psychological need to tear down democracy, destroy liberals or identify with the craziest politician running.

Now not everyone who makes sure they vote are crazy. But when normal people are disenfranchised and discouraged from voting with threats or intimidation, its quite easy for them to think that 2 hours waiting in line can be better used.

But it's really not true. Voting is the best use of your time if you want things to get better. The crazies know it, now the rest of us have to get out there.

Also, the more people vote, the harder it is to rig the election.

[Tanuki]

8. She has a national following and is not a "country" artist.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/03/14/more-than-half-of-us-adults-say-theyre-taylor-swift-fans-survey-finds/amp/

'Nearly three-fourths of avid Taylor Swift fans are white, and roughly half of her supporters are millennials, live in the suburbs and are Democrats, according to a Morning Consult survey published Tuesday, giving demographic insight into the Swifties, one of the most dedicated fan bases in the industry.
....
A slim majority, 55%, of avid Swift fans are Democrats, compared to 23% who are politically independent and 23% who are Republicans."....(more)

[Maraya1969]

9. She needs to be open about supporting Democrats also. Not to tell anyone to vote that way but the she does.

Post some things like how the government shutdowns were caused by repubs for the last 30 years and tell everyone about tfg's tactic to keep people out of the country by stealing their kids. I really think that most people do not know that.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. See this from 5 years ago --

Taylor Swift breaks political silence to support Tennessee Democrats

Updated on: October 8, 2018 / 9:10 PM / CBS/AP

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Music superstar Taylor Swift announced Sunday to her 112 million Instagram followers she's voting for Tennessee's Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen, breaking her long-standing refusal to discuss anything politics. The 28-year-old has faced criticism in the past for not speaking about political issues despite having a global platform. "In the past I've been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now," Swift wrote in an Instagram post.

In 2017, Swift appeared on the cover of Time magazine as one of the "silence breakers" for her countersuit against a radio DJ who was fired after allegedly groping her before a concert. Swift won the lawsuit in a verdict that awarded her $1, which according to the suit served as "an example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts."

The pop star -- who grew up in later years in Tennessee -- also slammed Republican candidate and U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn in her lengthy post Sunday, citing Blackburn's opposition to certain LGBTQ rights and voting against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013. "As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn. Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me," Swift wrote. "These are not MY Tennessee values."

Blackburn's campaign did not immediately return a request for comment. Swift said she's not only voting for the former Tennessee governor for Senate, but also Democrat Jim Cooper for the House.

(snip)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-swift-political-endorsement-tennessee-democrats-instagram-post-today-2018-10-08/

[Maraya1969]

11. Thank you,

[BumRushDaShow]

13. YW. Because of what happened with that Nashville school shooting

I have been like this about that city (I rarely use this smiley) in the aftermath -

Nashville has for decades, been promoted as the country music capitol of the world, literally to the point of stereotype, with the famous "Grand Old Opry". But that golden generation of country music legends has now passed on and apparently the city has been having a seismic shift rumbling from underground.

I remember going to Memphis for national conference (as part of a work trip) on a Sunday and turning on the radio to get some news and the promo for the station bragged that Memphis was "the buckle of the bible belt". Of course it was also "all Elvis, all the time". But that was like 25 years ago and the cities have become more and more blue - i.e., Memphis to the west, Nashville in the center, and Knoxville of all places, in the east.

Will see if they are able to translate it into some higher turnout because that would send a message for sure.

For so many of us, it was heartbreaking to see Al Gore lose his own home state in 2000 and we are a long time trying to claw that state back like is slowly slowly happening to GA.

This song came out from the group Arrested Development just over 30 years ago before the Justins were born and when Taylor Swift was just a toddler (one of the founders grew up in a Memphis suburb) -

[Maraya1969]

14. Yea, there are many Dems in country music. They can send messages to their social media.

Maybe they just don't think of it.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. I know the Dixie Chicks (now "The Chicks" ) have probably been the most vocal about it

They just finishing up a tour.

[DownriverDem]

19. Was pretty up front

in her support of Biden/Harris in 2020.

[enough]

12. Her "fan base" is global and massive, far beyond just country music.

[DownriverDem]

17. Pretty easy

Young folks hate the repubs. They vote for the Dems!!!!!

[SouthernDem4ever]

6. My generation is way before Talylor Swift but from what she says

she wants to use her celebrity for good. I don't hear the politics of hate and division from her.

[Lonestarblue]

7. More young people are voting in self defense. They see red states taking away women's rights

and attacking LGBTQ+. They see a Supreme Court that may take away the right to same-sex marriage. They see attacks on education and book banning. And those who have student debt know that Republicans want them to have no relief.

The generation that has lived through frequent active shooter drills and actual school shootings knows Republicans will do nothing about gun control. They also care about the environment and climate warming, something Republicans want to do nothing to address while actively trying to make them worse.

Younger people are also less religious. Many of them simply do not buy the patriarchal nonsense of the religious right. More of them will vote for Democrats than Republicans.

As for Swifties, maybe Biden needs to invite Taylor Swift for a well-publicized visit to the White House.

[2live is 2fly]

27. Agree, I believe this to be a big part of the reason why POTUS Biden is tied with tfg in polling bc

he (Biden) doesn't think it's such a good idea to increase the number of SCOTUS justices. Foretunately the process (least from what I've been able to learn) doesn't involve the executive branch, pretty-sure it's the legislature in control of this. Of course the Presidential bully-pulpit still garners a lot of influence/power, the President's opinion carries a lot of weight.

[CrispyQ]

16. Good on her & great message, too! -nt

[marble falls]

18. Tell her to tweet again!

[The Grand Illuminist]

22. Proud of her yet fear for her

MAGA RWer civillians are not gonna take this lying down. Be vigilant.

[Bayard]

24. Whatever works for us,

Multiply by 10.

[ffr]

25. Young voters, the people who will inherit this Earth have a lot at stake

Vote as though your lives depended upon it. That's where we're at now.

There aren't any choices now, just democratic candidates. Republicanism is dead, the GOP is a cult of dead-enders. GOTV!

[republianmushroom]

26. Good

[LetMyPeopleVote]

28. Taylor Swift is amazing

[pfitz59]

29. Taylor Swift is openly progressive and Democratic

she donates a large share of her concert proceeds to local food banks wherever she performs. she is generous to her employees. all well documented.