Taylor Swift’s call for her fans to get out and vote has been met with a mixed bag of responses. While a recent Monmouth University poll shows that over half of voters (53%) still support her initiative, that number represents a significant drop of 15 points since February. This decline is attributed, in part, to a conspiracy theory that surfaced around the Super Bowl, suggesting the game was rigged in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs, a team Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, plays for. This theory, which lacked any supporting evidence, claimed the rigging was done to maximize exposure for a potential Swift endorsement of President Biden.
Interestingly, support for Swift’s get-out-the-vote efforts was much higher seven months ago, when she was the subject of a different, debunked conspiracy theory surrounding the election and the Super Bowl. This suggests that the swirling rumors surrounding the Super Bowl may have negatively impacted her image and, consequently, the perception of her voting initiative.
Despite this decrease in support, it’s worth noting that Swift’s public endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris in 2020 led to a massive influx of over 330,000 visitors to vote.gov within 24 hours. This surge demonstrates the powerful impact Swift’s voice has on her massive fan base, known as Swifties.
While the recent poll shows a decline in support for Swift’s voting efforts, a separate ABC News/Ipsos poll revealed that 81% of respondents believe her support for Harris will not affect their voting decisions. This suggests that while the conspiracy theory may have hurt her standing with some, it has not significantly impacted her overall influence on voters.
Ultimately, time will tell whether the recent dip in support for Swift’s voting initiative will impact voter turnout in the upcoming election. However, it’s clear that Taylor Swift’s voice continues to carry significant weight in the political arena, and her efforts to encourage voter participation remain a hot topic of discussion.
