The 2022 midterm elections are nearly upon the United States, and musicians have been rallying behind their local candidates to encourage fans to get out and vote. Ahead of the elections on Tuesday, November 8, here is a roundup of the artists hoping to drum up higher turnouts with events, endorsements, and more.
Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy is playing a get-out-the vote show today (November 2) at the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois. He is performing the free event in support of Representative Lauren Underwood, an incumbent Democrat who supports cheaper healthcare and gun control, among other causes. Upon being sworn in in 2019, she became the youngest Black woman to serve in the House of Representatives.
Back in 2020, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon launched a nonpartisan initiative called For Wisconsin to get out the vote in his home state. He has now announced nearly a dozen events at Wisconsin colleges, which will feature “meetings, concerts, media, art, and all sorts of fun and engaging experiences,” though not Vernon himself, who is on tour in Europe. Instead, he will supply limited-edition merch for the gatherings.
Selena Gomez advocated for Stacey Abrams, who is fighting to narrow Republican Governor Brian Kemp’s 5-10 point lead. In her endorsement video, Gomez advocated for Abrams’ “commitment to improving mental health access,” as “the state currently ranks 48th in the nation.”
Questlove, too, has linked up with the campaign, and will appear alongside Abrams, Amy Schumer, and more in an evening of “music and midterms” tomorrow night (November 3). Sign up for the virtual event at getdownfordemocracy.org.
Kurt Vile signed a written endorsement for his local hopeful John Fetterman, the U.S. Senate candidate from Pennsylvania. A mailout from the politician’s campaign email address began, “It’s Kurt Vile. You might know me as Philadelphia’s Constant Hitmaker, I am a PROUD Philadelphia native. Heck, Mayor Nutter declared August 28 ‘Kurt Vile Day’ in Philadelphia. We want the best for our kids, and I know Fettterman will fight for a better future for my family.” Vile added that “Fetterman has been fighting for Pennsylvania probably longer than [he’s] been messing around with a guitar.”
Harry Styles, meanwhile, registered more than 50,000 people to vote, in partnership with HeadCount, during his U.S. tour. The nonpartisan initiative broke HeadCount’s own record for single-day registrations (28,760); the company has partnered with the likes of Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, and Billie Eilish in the past.
Elsewhere, Margo Price, Kacey Musgraves, and Lin-Manuel Miranda are vouching for Beto O’Rourke in Texas, and Lizzo urged voters across the country to support candidates who want to protect reproductive health, veterans, and the LGBTQ community.
On Election Day, Questlove, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Cosmo Baker, and DJ Diamond Kuts will perform at an event hosted by Joy to the Polls; it takes place at an as yet unannounced location in Philadelphia. Baby Tate, Remi Wolf, and DJ Jay Jash will take the stage at a similar event in Atlanta, with another slated for Maricopa County in Arizona. Bartees Strange, Common, Black Thought, Tune-yards, and several others curated playlists for the initiative.
