Renowned globally as entertainers, celebrities aren't typically sought out for their political knowledge.

However, candidates across the political spectrum in 2024 have been eager to showcase celebrity presence at their campaign events.

Musical performances by Megan Thee Stallion, Quavo, and Bon Iver energized crowds during recent Kamala Harris rallies.

Last month, musician Kid Rock and model Amber Rose were among the famous individuals featured at the Republican National Convention.

It turns out, a recent study reveals , that celebrities do more than simply generate online excitement – they can actually impact election outcomes.

According to the research conducted by Harvard University's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, there is "solid evidence that [celebrity] voices are incredibly impactful" in promoting civic engagement and shifting voter opinions.

"Right now, young voters have relatively low levels of trust in a lot of leaders and institutions, including traditional news media -- but celebrities are often a rare exception," Ashley Spillane, the study's author and a civic engagement and political expert, told
.

Published on Friday, the study examines how the United States lags behind other highly developed democratic nations in terms of the number of eligible voters who actually participate in elections.

Spillane pointed out that "despite record-breaking voter turnout in recent elections, the United States still ranks 31st out of 50 developed nations in terms of eligible voter participation."

She attributes the low ranking to a lack of enthusiasm and organized effort, and believes celebrities could play a crucial role in boosting voter turnout.

Spillane stated that the prevailing attitude surrounding civic engagement requires a shift.

"Voting should be seen as the fashionable, popular thing to do," she said. "Research shows that when people feel this way about voting, they participate."

The study indicates that celebrities are in a unique position to inspire ordinary Americans to get involved in the political process. Online voter registration and poll worker volunteer rates were found to increase when a celebrity promoted them.

"The study reveals that sharing information that empowers people to take action (like a registration link, information on finding your polling place, and the date of Election Day!) has the greatest impact," Spillane added.

In 2018, Taylor Swift urged her fans to register to vote by posting a simple Instagram story, leading to 250,000 new registrants on Vote.org within 72 hours.

Similarly, Kylie Jenner leveraged Instagram to motivate her followers to vote in 2020. The study reported that "the website she linked experienced a 1,500% surge in traffic compared to the previous day, along with an 80% increase in total user voter registration," it stated.

Actress Kerry Washington extended her reach beyond her fan base and recruited other celebrities to promote civic engagement. The research highlighted $32 million in organic earned media coverage and one billion online interactions as a result of her initiatives.

Ariana Grande, David Dobrik, Hailey Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Trevor Noah were among other celebrities included in the study. Offline engagements, such as television, movies, and merchandise, were also incorporated into the research.

The study also emphasized the importance of "authenticity in driving civic engagement." It highlighted that for celebrity efforts to be effective, they must align with their public interests and overall platform.

While some celebrities remain cautious about "potential backlash and 'cancellation,'" the study found that those who encourage voter participation believe it is "beneficial for democracy" and "positive for their brands."

As evident in the current election cycle, celebrities have even inspired civic engagement without their explicit knowledge or intention.

For instance, Swifties for Kamala represents a group of Taylor Swift fans supporting Harris' campaign. Their X account boasts over 57,000 followers.

Swift has yet to comment on the group inspired by her name, or on the election itself.

Though the Harvard study did not explicitly focus on such sub-groups, Spillane told
that "fan communities getting involved in civic engagement enables them to be a part of something collaborative, which helps build trust in the democratic process and motivation to participate."

Just last month, British hyperpop artist Charli XCX posted , "Kamala IS brat," on X, garnering over 54.5 million views and sparking millions of memes and video edits. This single celebrity post unintentionally contributed to the Harris campaign's digital triumph and Gen-Z outreach.

"Charli XCX's post exemplifies a celebrity's ability to generate media attention, draw large crowds, reach their fans, and shape discussions," Spillane observed.

Gen-Z and millennial groups are particularly significant, as they will constitute the majority of voters by 2028, the study confirmed. In addition to the considerable screen time these groups average daily on social media, these platforms were also found to be their primary news source.

Given these findings, celebrity voices will likely be closely monitored during the rest of this historic and turbulent election year.

"The evidence clearly shows that these influential individuals, utilizing their powerful platforms, can motivate and inspire ordinary Americans to use their voices and participate in their civic responsibilities," Spillane stated.