Headlines linking singers, actors and internet stars to politics find their way onto news sites every day, and every day it is proven to us just how little the two belong together. Celebrities may be some of our most visible and influential citizens, but that alone does not lend them the title of most well-informed, most intelligent or most credible. With their elevated levels of influence, some celebrities exude impressive levels of influence over the electorate without the qualifications to do so. Voters should be wary of celebrities attempting to use their fame to influence elections.
In the 2008 Democratic primary election, Oprah Winfrey endorsed President Barack Obama instead of Secretary Hillary Clinton. After the election, this was estimated to have won the former president over one million votes. Considering most popular vote counts place the two candidates within roughly a million votes, this difference is significant, and its revelations are terrifying, especially considering the television star does not have any advanced knowledge or expertise in the realm of American politics.
When Winfrey attended college, she majored in communications – not political science. While talented and successful, Winfrey’s career has not focused on issues like social security or national defense. This is not to say that the popular media mogul is uninformed or unqualified to make her own political decisions, but there is a distinction between making her own political decisions and influencing the political decisions of over a million voters.
Winfrey’s endorsement of Obama shows the power that often unqualified celebrities have over elections, and other celebrity endorsements more illustrate the dangers of this influence. National Football League quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently endorsed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for president and was even rumored to be on a shortlist for vice presidential candidates. Rodgers should certainly cast his ballot for whomever he views as the best candidate, but one should not languish in the illusion that RFK Jr. ever stood a chance of winning the White House. By encouraging voters to support RFK Jr., Rodgers urged his millions of fans to support a candidate with no chance of winning.
Rodgers and countless other celebrities have proven that while they are talented, their talents are not necessarily transferable to making responsible or educated political decisions. Simply, Rodgers should have stuck to disappointing New York.
Celebrity endorsement of candidates is a risky game, but the positive effects that celebrities have on voter registration and turnout are clear. In the days following pop star Taylor Swift’s posting a link to register to vote, more than 30,000 people followed the link to register. If the only way celebrities influenced elections was by attempting to increase voter turnout, their impacts would be very different. But, even by motivating more people to vote, celebrities are still swaying elections.
30,000 new people registering to vote is an incredible achievement for Swift. But, these 30,000 people are most likely to vote in ways similar to Swift. The majority of voters influenced by the singer are young fans. This is significant, considering that people aged 18-29 voted 25% less than people aged 65-74. Young voters are also significantly more likely to vote Democratic.
For this exact reason, musical guests like Megan Thee Stallion and Bon Iver performed for crowds at recent Kamala Harris rallies. Because of their different fan bases, they can garner support from different demographics for the candidate they deem fit.
So, while celebrities may be able to increase voter turnout, even when trying to be neutral, they are still able to alter the course of elections. Furthermore, international pop stars live very different lives from the majority of people, which undoubtedly influences their political opinions. For those without a few million to spare, ideas about welfare programs or tax rates might be a little different. Taking the voting advice of a rich actor might work for a person with a similar lifestyle, but for the other 98% of the population, priorities might be a bit different.
The impact celebrity endorsement can have on an election is growing every year and has proven to have a significant impact on election results. Whether or not these impacts are viewed as positive or negative is in the eyes of the beholder, but all voters should be cautious of the influence unqualified stars try to hold over elections and should form their opinions based on facts from reputable news sources, not a singer’s twitter feed.
