Election day is approaching and stars have been taking sides; but do celebrity endorsements truly affect people’s opinions?

Charley-Ann Ortiz | @charleyann.ortiz

Definition and recent history

Starting simple, with the definition of an endorsement; endorsement is giving one’s public approval or support of someone or something.

The history of celebrity endorsements in politics goes back decades, with one of the most iconic examples coming in 2008 when Oprah Winfrey endorsed Barack Obama.

The University of Maryland calculated that Winfrey’s endorsement was responsible for approximately one million additional votes for Obama.

So the question remains- how effective are these endorsements?

This year’s endorsements

This year is no different, we are seeing many stars getting involved again. Artists like Taylor Swift, Chappel Roan, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Kid Rock, and many more have all taken public stances.

After endorsing Kamala Harris, CBS News reported that over 400,000 people visited vote.gov from her link in just 24 hours.

On the other side of the aisle, Elon Musk is giving away one million dollars a day to registered swing state voters who have signed his campaign in support of former President Trump.

KU Students and endorsements

The reach of these endorsements is undeniable, but what is the actual impact? KU Students sound-off on the decision-making weight these endorsements carry:

“I think it would, honestly, especially if it’s a celebrity that I respect or really know for a long time I think if they have a strong opinion about it, that would change my strong opinion about it,” Connor Wilhelm a KU Freshman said. 

“They don’t live the same life as me so it doesn’t really affect me, what they think,” Bam Braden a KU sophomore said. 

“I think that we should have more celebrities getting involved with politics, telling people, ‘Hey, do your research, get involved, do what makes you happy.’ That would probably be beneficial to society, but celebrity endorsements do have a huge impact,” Daniel Mercado, a KU freshman, said.

What’s the real impact, then?

Critics argue that celebrities, living in their world of wealth and privilege, might be out of touch with the everyday struggles of the public. This may make their endorsements feel inauthentic, potentially backfiring on both the star and the candidate.

Social media, however, is where these endorsements are having a huge impact; posts from stars can reach millions of people within hours.

Engagement levels show just how much of a platform celebrities have in today’s political election. 

It’s clear that celebrity endorsements can bring attention to candidates and causes, but in the end, the decision lies with the voters.