Why you shouldn’t let celebrities vote for you
Election Day is just a little over two months away, which means the political atmosphere is out of bounds. It’s no secret that when it comes to election season, actors, singers, dancers, influencers, and more publicly endorse who they’re voting for and why.
Taylor Swift, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Elon Musk, and Oprah are just a few of the celebrities who have endorsed presidential candidates in this and previous elections. Candidates not only solicit endorsements, but also invite celebrities to events, rallies, and even party national conventions.
Because social media has created so many of the celebrities of today and tomorrow and expanded the scope of the content they create, a public figure doing publicity can be just about anyone, from a famous Hollywood actor to a Twitch star streaming from their bedroom.
Celebrities are people with the same rights as the rest of us. If they want to publicly announce that they will be voting for any office, they have a perfect right to do so, protected by the First Amendment. No one may infringe on their right to do so.
But voters have a responsibility to get the information right. Celebrities have always been powerful when it comes to the American electorate, but how much weight should their political endorsements carry when they’re talking about things that are completely unrelated to their field of expertise?
If you decide to vote for a particular candidate come November solely or in part because your favorite celebrity or influencer said they would, you should be prepared with a logical, well-thought-out explanation for why.
For example, award-winning singer Billie Eilish recently endorsed Kamala Harris and Tim Waltz in a video with her brother Finneas. The video was short and to the point. Eilish said she voted for Harris because she fights for “reproductive rights, the planet, and democracy.” She didn’t give any reasons why.
Use the words you like, but it’s not productive to claim, as so many others have, that democracy is in danger. It certainly isn’t a good thing given the rise in political violence in the past two months, including two men nearly killing a former president.
Phineas also spoke out against Project 2025, saying it’s dangerous. It’s irresponsible to make such claims when supporting a candidate who has a following. The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 has never been endorsed by Donald Trump, and it’s different from Agenda 47, the Republican candidate’s actual plan.
Taylor Swift also publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for president on Instagram after Harris’ first debate with Trump. The post currently has over 11.1 million likes. Swift mentioned President Trump at the beginning of her post, but said she had done her research in endorsing him, and urged voters to do the same on the issues that matter to them.
Encouraging independent research and thought, rather than using buzzwords like “Fight for Democracy” and “Project 2025,” is a much more productive and respectable way to conduct political advocacy. I may not agree with Taylor Swift on who to vote for, but I can at least respect her using her popular platform to encourage people to educate themselves, rather than telling them who they should vote for.
Additionally, many celebrities, including Dana White, Hulk Hogan, and Elon Musk, also voiced their support for Donald Trump this election season. Both White and Hogan spoke at the Republican National Convention, delivering solid speeches to uplift Trump later in the day and highlighting Trump’s resilience after the assassination attempt that occurred just days before the Republican National Convention. The speeches were short, quick, and fun. Musk’s endorsement came from a post he made on X shortly after the assassination attempt.
The reason I’ve listed the names of notable people from different walks of life who support both candidates is because they all have one thing in common: None of the people I’ve listed are involved in politics, regardless of what they do or who they support. Some of them have solid business experience, but that’s just part of politics. Some may do their own research, but they’re not doing anything that the average American can’t do for themselves and thereby make their life better.
You may have many reasons to respect your favorite celebrities, but that doesn’t mean what they say isn’t biased or misinformation. Make an educated choice about who to vote for based on multiple reasons and sources.
