Kamala Harris and Beyonce. Credit score: Instagram @kamalaharris
Because the US presidential election day approaches, the world watches on as American voters make the vital choice between Kamala Harris (Democrats) and Donald J Trump (Republicans).
With assassination makes an attempt, prison convictions, and Joe Biden making headlines, the stakes appear greater than ever. As well as, some high-profile celeb endorsements, together with Beyonce and Mel Gibson, have been dominating information platforms. However do celebrities maintain any sway in voting?
The affect of celebrities on political voting
A current YouGov examine in August 2024 surveyed 1,137 US adults and it revealed that celeb endorsements have a surprisingly restricted affect on voters.
Solely 7 per cent of respondents mentioned {that a} celeb endorsement has ever made them assist a politician, whereas 11 per cent reported reconsidering their stance on a political problem primarily based on a star’s opinion.
16 per cent of Democrats surveyed admitted {that a} celeb’s opinion had prompted them to rethink their stance on a problem, in comparison with simply 6 per cent of Republicans. Equally, 13 per cent of Democrats mentioned a star endorsement motivated them to vote, in comparison with a mere 5 per cent of Republicans. These figures counsel that celeb affect is extra more likely to sway these on the left facet of the political spectrum.
51 per cent of respondents admitted {that a} celeb’s stance on a political problem had negatively affected their opinion of them. This sentiment was pronounced amongst Republicans, with 55 per cent reporting a destructive change in notion as a result of a star’s political opinions, in comparison with 46 per cent of Democrats.
Do celeb endorsements for political voting work exterior the US?
The US isn’t the one nation the place celebrities have tried to sway political outcomes. Throughout Europe, we’ve seen musicians, actors and social media influencers again varied political campaigns.
In accordance with a report from Statista, solely a small fraction of the European inhabitants considers celeb endorsements as influential in shaping their political opinions.
With greater than half of the surveyed Individuals admitting {that a} celeb’s political stance has altered their opinion of them – usually for the more severe – the stakes are excessive for these hoping to make use of their affect for political achieve.
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