Empower Voters with HeadCount
Written by: Ashley Chen
As the 2024 election approaches, HeadCount has leveraged the power of music and popular culture to register voters and promote democratic engagement. Since its founding in 2004, HeadCount, a nonprofit organization with committed professionals and volunteers from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, has assisted more than 1.5 million people in registering to vote. They envision a long-term, sustainable shift in which youth culture is rooted in democracy and high voter turnout is the standard, regardless of the issue on the ballot.
HeadCount works with touring artists to provide voter registration and education to their audiences. Reaching young people directly with these resources can encourage their participation in democracy, as they attend concerts, festivals, community events, and online.
This year, they have worked with musicians like Chappel Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, and Gracie Abrams. Concert volunteers can assist with voter registration and provide free admission to the performance, motivating everyone to get involved in their community and make a difference regardless of their political beliefs.
The Good to Vote program is one of HeadCount's ongoing projects. They collaborate with artists, influencers, brands, and cultural leaders to host entertaining sweepstakes to ensure that everyone is ready to cast their ballots. In an effort to boost youth voter registration, Ariana Grande has partnered with HeadCount to assist the campaign and has started an exclusive fan giveaway. By examining their voter registration status on their website, participants can determine whether they are "good to vote." Two lucky fans will receive a ticket to the U.S. premiere of Wicked along with a full glam experience with R.E.M. Beauty products. In addition to musicians, HeadCount has teamed with companies like American Eagle to offer jeans for life.
As part of their KnowBeforeYouGo Campaign, Wasserman, a sports marketing and talent management firm that represents the most well-known athletes, musicians, brands, and properties worldwide, has teamed up with HeadCount to release a public service announcement (PSA) video that showcases the best musicians and athletes in order to ensure that everyone is prepared to cast their ballots in the 2024 elections. The video was produced as part of Wasserman's Get Out The Vote campaign with HeadCount with the goal of empowering voters to cast their ballots this November by providing them with all the essential information they need to do so.
In the 2024 election, young voters could make the difference. Celebrities and influencers are using their platform to encourage as many of them to sign up as they can in order to ensure that their opinions are heard. Regardless of the political context, HeadCount envisions a future in which high voter turnout is the norm and civic engagement is deeply embedded in our society. Above all, they think that every voter should be able to access, trust, and participate in fair elections.