they are asking questions.
As young voters flock to vote for the next president, they’re also fueling a new trend in true Gen Z fashion.
The TikTok-savvy generation has been writing meme suggestions on their ballots and flaunting them online.
As young voters go to the polls, some are making jokes out of civic duty. AFP (via Getty Images)
Content creator Braden Boyko wrote Twitch streamer Dream on his ballot, posted a photo of it on X, and joked, “Go vote, this is the most important election of our lifetimes.” Ta.
On TikTok, a recently resurfaced clip of another voter writing the name of the Impractical Jokers character Tanka Jahari on her ballot is going viral, but the person who wrote about Taylor Swift There were too.
The joke post is reminiscent of the thousands of people who voted for Kanye West in 2020, or the more than 100 votes cast for Harambe the gorilla in 2016, which left viewers feeling “sad”. sparked a fierce backlash on social media. “idiot” and “fool”.
“Please don’t recommend this to people,” one person on TikTok urged.
“That’s the worst,” chided another.
1 person voted for their favorite Twitch streamer. Another person voted for the “Impractical Jokers” character. TikTok / @olibonk
“This is irresponsible. When people say go vote, that’s not what they mean. This is a really important election and your vote means a lot,” another person implored. .
One user commented, “What a waste.”
Bragging about write-in candidates results in more than just controversy.
Some states have banned ballot photography, and voters who don’t follow local laws can face fines and other penalties, according to USA Today.
In New York state, for example, voters are prohibited from taking a photo of a completed ballot, although photos of blank ballots are allowed. However, according to Vox, California allows people to take selfies with their ballots.
Young voters are fueling multiple TikTok trends this election cycle. Krakenimages.com – Stock.adobe.com
Gen Zers weigh in on various Election Day trends, including vowing to “nullify” a loved one’s vote by voting for the opposing candidate amid a close race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is accelerating.
A recent NBC News poll showed Harris leading among Gen Z voters, with about half of the 2,119 young people surveyed expressing support for the Democratic candidate. Only one-third of respondents expressed support for Trump, according to the data.
According to the Financial Times, Trump’s interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast racked up 20 million views in less than a day, while the Harris campaign used TikTok to appeal to younger voters. Experts report that voter registration soared after the vice president announced his candidacy for president.
“A lot of that excitement comes from the instant online buzz on TikTok,” Jessica Siles, deputy spokesperson for the political advocacy group Voters of Tomorrow, told the outlet.
