(UPDATE) MIDTERMS, MUSIC AND MOBILIZATION: HOW HEADCOUNT GETS THE YOUNG FIRED UP TO VOTE

With Election Day (11/8) just around the corner, HeadCount is mobilizing at events across the country. To spark voter engagement, the nonprofit has teamed up with artists like Republic's Ariana Grande, Epic's Meghan Trainor, Redwing Records' Bonnie Raitt, Nonesuch's David Byrne, RCA/Sony's Dave Matthews Band, Dead & Company and Republic's Jack Johnson for a social-media campaign aimed at motivating fans to vote in this year’s critical midterm elections. Learn more here.

Says Grande, "The candidates and measures being voted on for the midterm elections have the power to impact millions of lives—and impact issues like access to abortion care, how we respond to climate change, the rights of trans youth and more. I encourage everyone to get ready for the upcoming elections by checking their voter registration status or registering to vote through resources like HeadCount. If all of us vote and encourage all of our loved ones to vote with us, we will truly be able to create change.”

“There’s a different energy in the air,” says Lisa DeLuca.

DeLuca is the director of artist relations at HeadCount, an organization dedicated to increasing voter engagement—notably via registration and education drives at concerts, festivals and other events that reach young audiences. She says that in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, among other developments, she’s seen a greater sense of urgency among the young that is likely to intensify as the November elections approach. But time is of the essence.

“Historically, nearly half of young voters don’t vote in midterms,” says DeLuca, a former label exec (she served in content marketing at Epic) with a natural facility for working with artists. She adds that some 8 million 18- and 19-year-olds will become eligible to vote in their first federal election by the time November rolls around, but a great many are not even registered.

HeadCount aims to change that. One big arrow in its quiver is the involvement of, in addition to the big names cited above, such acts as Billie Eilish, Beyoncé and Harry Styles. Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and RuPaul’s DragCon have also gotten involved, as have Spotify, Ben & Jerry’s and Grubhub, among other major brands.

Eilish’s partnership with HeadCount and its “Good to Vote” initiative awarded a premium concert experience, including travel to shows in Australia and New Zealand, to one lucky participant, while Dead & Company helped the organization raise $650k+ during their summer tour. According to DeLuca, the many artists who approach HeadCount—and these include baby bands as well as established stars—can customize their involvement.

"Voter registration is easy for artists to get behind, regardless of their individual politics," says Patrick Jordan of Red Light Management, who serves on HeadCount's board. “From Dave Matthews Band to Phish to deep in our roster, Red Light Management has a long history of partnering with HeadCount and seeing amazing results."

As the org celebrates its 18th anniversary, it has registered about 1 million voters. DeLuca says HeadCount’s 50k volunteers nationwide are there to provide training, answer questions and generally “make it really easy,” which is why about 77% of people who opt into its system go on to vote. “We know how to talk to people without being annoying,” she adds. (Go here for some infographics illustrating the realities of the political moment, some groovy, others quite sobering.)

She’s hopeful that the current intensity of sentiment among young voters can be further focused and mobilized by the involvement of more artists and brands.

DeLuca is adamant that engagement in the process is the only path to change. “If you don’t get involved, you can’t complain,” she insists. “It’s about getting everybody involved—it’s about the country that will be left for you. If you’re not participating, you’re letting other people make that decision for you. And that sucks.”