Taylor Swift's approval could spark "the biggest wave of success ever recorded" at the polls



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Andy Bernstein, Executive Director of HeadCount, a registered non-profit organization, said Swift's Instagram account was the latest example of the type of digital broadcast needed to attract the attention of voters from 18 to 29 years.

"There is no doubt that Taylor Swift and many other musicians have had a positive impact on voter registration," he said.

"HeadCount has tracked more than 50,000 voter registrations directly from artists posted on social media in recent years," added Bernstein. "It's a proven method, and Taylor Swift's message has clearly created the biggest wave of all time."

The peak in the number of registrations after the Swift post is impressive, but largely corresponds to the soaring voter lists across the country.

In addition, some have raised the possibility that its announcement has the unintended consequence of encouraging new registrants to vote against the candidates it supports. Bernstein of HeadCount, however, said that there was a bigger picture to consider.

"I think his intention was to get everyone to vote and participate," he said. "She expressed her own opinions about a senatorial race, but the most important message was that everyone had to make their voices heard."

While it may be an open question about the importance of celebrity endorsements in elections, Swift has had an impact of a magnitude that many other celebrities have not been able to do. Does this mean that she has created a model to follow for other stars who wish to influence voters?

"What was great about Taylor Swift's message was that it really came from the heart and finally made a very universal appeal for participation," said Bernstein. "We know these messages work because HeadCount has seen this work with hundreds of musicians over the past 15 years – we can quantify it – we can directly show that it leads people to sign up and vote."

Swift representatives could not be contacted for CNBC's comments.

With the election a month after, it remains to be seen whether Swift's message will have a measurable effect over the course of a year that, according to polls, was already favorable to Democrats. Even so, Trippi said she should be commended for encouraging people to get involved – even if they do not end up voting the same way, or even if their answer is to tell her to shut up and sing.

"Whenever there is an increase in the number of attentive people, it is good for democracy," he said. "Even when you have people who say," I do not like it, "it's good for democracy."

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