Celebrities have 'incredibly powerful' ability to influence election: Harvard study

foxnews.com:

Celebrities have a "powerful" ability to influence elections and increase voter turnout, a Harvard study found. "While some polling shows that people claim they aren’t influenced by celebrity voices when it comes to politics, more rigorous evidence indicates that these voices are incredibly powerful," reads a study conducted by Harvard’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. "Nonprofits report higher rates of online voter registration or poll worker sign-ups when a celebrity promotes these calls to action.This potential impact is why nonprofits, candidates, and elected officials are increasingly seeking ways to engage celebrities." Researchers working on the study analyzed the approaches of 15 managers, publicists, nonprofit partners, philanthropic advisers and celebrities, including well-known names such as Hailey Bieber, David Dobrik, Billie Eilish, Trevor Noah, Taylor Swift, Kerry Washington and The Roots co-founder and drummer Questlove. "Celebrities, like all of us, face choices about how to engage in democracy.

For example, they can serve as surrogates for political candidates, helping to ‘rally the base’ or reach new audiences," the study reads, adding that there is also evidence that "celebrities can help with candidate fundraising, attracting large crowds to political events or volunteer shifts, which draws press attention." Overall, the researchers found that celebrities are motivated to activism not only because of their beliefs, but because it can also be "good for their brands," something that was supported by a previous study on the issue. "It helps your audience stay connected to you—a connection based on values, which humanizes an artist and a celebrity in a way that the audience then feels.