From the outset of her 2024 presidential campaign, Kamala Harris has made efforts to appeal to young voters. More so than ever, Generation Z (Gen Z) will have an important presence in the upcoming 2024 election with an estimated 41 million eligible voters. Harris has acknowledged the surge in young registered voters by using strategies unusual for a presidential candidate. Through both her personal TikTok account and her team’s viral Kamala HQ account, the Harris campaign has posted content showcasing Gen Z trends and catering to young voters. Historically, young voters have been the least likely to vote among the United States population. In 2020, voters between ages 18 and 29 made up only 11 percent of the total electorate. The Harris campaign saw these past low numbers and identified an opportunity to gain support for a Harris presidency through the use of social media. The social media efforts have helped Harris’s campaign to gain the attention of the younger generation and inform them. As a member of Gen Z, I have found myself viewing dozens of Harris related videos and posts each day, and this has made me more aware and up to date on her campaign.
The Kamala Harris campaign account on TikTok, Kamala HQ, has racked up nearly five million followers in just a few months. Kamala HQ uploads around a dozen videos each day featuring popular songs and Gen Z trends, pairing them with elements of her campaign. These videos present clips from Harris’s rallies, her policies, videos in opposition to Donald Trump, as well as clips from her supporters. Many of these videos receive viral attention with over a million views and hundreds of thousands of likes, contributing to Harris’s dominant social media presence for young voters.
Shortly after Harris announced her campaign, Charlie XCX, a Gen Z pop icon, tweeted three words shaping The Harris Campaign’s social media focus. “Kamala IS brat” immediately exploded on social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and X. Charlie XCX’s tweet built on the trend, “brat summer,” and the release of Charlie XCX’s newest album titled “brat.” The term “brat” is uniquely Gen Z — it’s a vibe, an aesthetic, and a movement in the native tongue of the youngest block of voters. The “brat” album cover features a chartreuse background with black letters in all lowercase. Following Charlie XCX’s tweet, Kamala HQ quickly adopted the “brat summer” trend changing their profile picture to lime green with black letters to match the “brat” album cover. The “brat” album showcases themes of womanhood and woman empowerment, exploring ideas of female friendship, jealousy as well as joy which are all common things in womanhood. These themes and ideas are very prevalent in the Harris campaign and help her be more appealing to female voters. By utilizing this “brat summer” trend, Harris immediately grabbed the attention of younger voters who had not taken much of an interest in politics before the social media phenomenon. The Kamala HQ account gained hundreds of thousands of followers practically overnight as a result of the trend as well as Harris’ new candidacy, drawing huge amounts of attention to Harris’ campaign.
In addition to her own campaign efforts, Harris has also received endorsements from some of the biggest Gen Z celebrities. Following the presidential debate on September 10, Taylor Swift took to Instagram to show her support for Harris, writing, “I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.” Following this endorsement, Google Trends reported an increase in voter registration searches, as well as over 330,000 people being directed to “vote.gov” from the post. Harris has also gained the support of superstar Beyoncé, who endorsed Harris by appearing at her Houston rally on October 25, delivering a speech in support of Harris. In her speech Beyoncé spoke “as a mother,” highlighting the ways Harris will benefit and build a better future for our nation. Though these endorsements are not enough to win the presidential race alone, they certainly help with engagement in younger voters. The star power of Charlie XCX, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé have certainly shined a fresh light on the presidential election and enlivened Gen Z citizens. Many hope these celebrity endorsements and social media campaigns translate to a greater turnout at the polls on election day, just four days away.
Harris and her campaign team made strides in the election through social media and celebrity endorsements to attract the support of young voters. The Kamala HQ social media and its use of predominantly Gen Z platforms have spread awareness and education regarding important 2024 presidential campaign issues.The content of the videos have shown off many of the positive plans Harris has to make America a better place for all. This has made me and many others of Gen Z more aware of her policies and more supportive of her campaign now that we can see what she will bring to our country as president. For example, a plan that Harris has that has caught my attention through social media is her plan to legalize abortion nationwide. As someone who is very passionate about women’s rights, this is very meaningful to me. Harris has gained the attention of young voters, who previously have had low political engagement. Harris and her campaign are counting on these young voters to bring their “brat” vibe to the polls on November 5 and make history by electing America’s first female president.
