Taylor Swift makes rare political statement and reminds fans to vote on Super Tuesday

‘I wanted to remind you guys to vote for the people who most represent YOU into power,’ Taylor Swift writes on her Instagram Story

Taylor Swift has made a rare political statement to remind fans to vote on Super Tuesday, which is when the greatest number of US states hold primaries so voters can choose their preferred presidential candidates.

The 34-year-old singer took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday to speak candidly to her 282m followers about voting. “Today, March 5, is the Presidential Primary in Tennessee and 16 other states and territories,” she wrote.

Swift – who first moved to Tennessee when she was 14 – went on to remind fans why it’s so important to vote, before once again encouraging them to do so.

“I wanted to remind you guys to vote for the people who most represent YOU into power. If you haven’t already, make a plan to vote today,” the “All Too Well” singer wrote.

She then shared a link to Vote.org, which is where voters can check their polling places and times, regardless of if they’re “in Tennessee or somewhere else in the US”.

During Super Tuesday, with 15 states typically taking part, presidential candidates have a chance to definitively stamp their mark on the race for their party’s nomination. The occasion often gives candidates the chance to convince their rivals that they no longer have a convincing path to victory and should suspend their campaigns. Along with Tennessee, some of the states taking part include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas,  California, Colorado, and Maine.

Taylor Swift reminds fans to vote on Super Tuesday (@taylorswift / Instagram)

Swift’s Instagram Story isn’t her first time making a statement about voting. In September, she called on her US fans to take action on National Voter Registration Day.

“Are you registered to vote yet? I’ve been so lucky to see so many of you at my US shows recently,” she wrote on Instagram, referring to her leg of US Eras Tour concerts. “I’ve heard you raise your voices, and I know how powerful they are. Make sure you’re ready to use them in our elections this year.”

Days later, voter registration website Vote.org revealed that Swift managed to drive record-breaking numbers of voters to the site. Nick Morrow, the communication director for Vote.org, specified that after the “Anti-Hero” singer’s post, his company’s website “was averaging 13,000 users every 30 minutes”.

In 2018, Swift first broke her political silence to endorse Democratic candidates and urge fans to vote. Her political outspokenness came after she had previously faced criticism for not engaging in major political moments in the US, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2016 presidential election.

In a 2021 interview with Vanity Fair, the “Cruel Summer” singer said that Donald Trump’s presidency pushed her towards publicly endorsing the Democrats.

“As a country musician, I was always told it’s better to stay out of [politics],” Swift explained. “The Trump presidency forced me to lean in and educate myself. I found myself talking about government and the presidency and policy with my boyfriend [then actor Joe Alwyn], who supported me in speaking out.”

She added: “I started talking to my family and friends about politics and learning as much as I could about where I stand. I’m proud to have moved past fear and self-doubt, and to endorse and support leadership that moves us beyond this divisive, heartbreaking moment in time.”