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When Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on August 6, 2024, fans pointed to his earlier nods to Taylor Swift and Beyoncé—and to a Minnesota ticket-pricing law—as reasons he felt familiar to their communities. That online reaction was not a measure of fan support or proof of increased turnout. Swift’s endorsement of Harris and Walz came later, on September 10.
Why fans connected Walz with Swift and Beyoncé
After Harris announced Walz as her running mate, Rolling Stone Canada reported that fans were discussing his history of honoring Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Walz had proclaimed June 2023 dates “Taylor Swift Days” in Minnesota and July 20, 2023, “Beyoncé Day,” the report said. The proclamations were cultural gestures; they did not mean either artist had endorsed him.
The same discussion picked up on Walz signing Minnesota House File 1989, a ticket-pricing law. Its number echoed Swift’s birth year, and its subject—ticket prices—connected with a familiar frustration among concertgoers. Rolling Stone Canada described the resulting online fan response, including the “Swiftie VP” framing. That coverage documents a conversation, not a survey showing how many Swifties or members of the BeyHive supported Walz.
Swift’s endorsement happened five weeks later
On September 10, 2024, after the presidential debate, Swift endorsed Harris and Walz on Instagram: “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election.” This was a separate, later event—not the cause of the fan reaction reported on August 6.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The next day, Walz responded on MSNBC: “This would be the opportunity, Swifties. KamalaHarris.com. Get on over there. Give us a hand. Get things going.” He was addressing Swift’s fans after her endorsement; the quote does not establish that he or his campaign had coordinated with her beforehand.
What the registration numbers show—and what they do not
The Minnesota Star Tribune reported, citing the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office, that the state recorded more than 20,000 new registrations from September 9 through 12, 2024, including 13,000 on September 12. In the week before the debate and endorsement, the reported average was 1,300 registrations a day. The increase followed and coincided with the high-profile news, but those figures alone cannot show that Swift’s post caused it.
The Star Tribune also reported that Swift’s Instagram post received more than 11 million likes. It said a Vote.org link in her story was clicked more than 400,000 times, attributing that figure to the General Services Administration and Election Assistance Commission as told to The New York Times. Likes, link clicks, and registration applications are not verified votes; none establishes how many people ultimately voted or which candidate they chose.
Swift’s candidate endorsement was partisan, while her encouragement to register was nonpartisan. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, quoted by the Star Tribune, said: “It’s great to see so many people using their influence to spread the word about the importance of taking part in our shared democracy.”
Organizing and fan enthusiasm are not turnout estimates
The Star Tribune reported that Swifties for Kamala raised over $100,000 in campaign donations during its first organizing call in August 2024. That is the outlet’s reported figure, not an independently audited total. It illustrates organized political activity among some fans, but neither a fundraising report nor enthusiastic posts establish how a wider fan community voted.
The story therefore has two distinct parts: an August conversation about Walz’s pop-culture gestures and ticket-pricing law, followed by Swift’s September endorsement and a documented rise in Minnesota registrations. The first shows visibility and association; the administrative figures show registration activity. Neither supports a claim that celebrity attention by itself determined election turnout.
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Sources
- Rolling Stone Canada, August 6, 2024, on fan reactions, Walz’s proclamations, and House File 1989.
- TIME, on Swift’s endorsement and Walz’s response.
- Minnesota Star Tribune, on Minnesota registrations and reported fan-organizing activity.
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