The Brief: Leading up to the 2020 general election, memes about the voting process and the importance of participating in the democratic process are spreading across social media.
DEEP DIVE
Days before Nov. 3, as early voting has begun in many states, memes encapsulate some of the manifold experiences of American voters in the 2020 general election. Internet memes about voting in 2020 include critiques of voter suppression, long lines to vote, and issues with the electoral system. People also use memes to encourage their peers to vote and to ask why celebrities are so often compelled to post selfies with their “I voted” stickers on their faces.
Photos of President Donald Trump looking in the direction of his wife, Melania Trump, at the voting booth have been making the rounds as an emerging meme format:
https://twitter.com/shafieikeyvan/status/1320378064472334342
Classic romcoms reimagined with election-themes:
There's Something About 'Merica
To All the Polls I Loved Before
When Harris Met Biden
10 Things I Hate About Tr*mp
How to Lose That Guy in 10 Days
You've Got Mail-in Ballots
Vote Actually
My Best Friend's Voting
45 Going on 46
Bridget Jones's Dire Year-Long Drinking Game— Sara K. Runnels (@omgskr) October 22, 2020
For those of you who are planning on voting for Kanye 2020:
A PSA on how to vote for Kanye West. pic.twitter.com/HTnSnOQuJn
— Erick Sanchez 🧥 (@erickmsanchez) October 20, 2020
On the near-irresistible impulse to photograph ourselves with our ballots:
If I dropped off my ballot without taking a selfie does my vote still count?
— Rabi Abonour (@rabonour) October 20, 2020
*Record scratch* you’re probably wondering how we got here…
Voting in 2012 Voting in 2020 pic.twitter.com/B4FnE8IvGZ
— Danny Neary (@itsdannyneary) October 25, 2020
On discrepancies between voting access based on race, location, and other factors:
It’s easier for a white person to vote from space than for an African American or Latino to vote in their home zip code in the United States. https://t.co/8u0q776vmb
— Dare Obasanjo (@Carnage4Life) October 24, 2020
It looks like comedian Elijah Daniel (who is gay) is trying to use homophobia to trick homophobes into not voting…
me when I’m the imposter https://t.co/6Tvmuas0kH
— Molly || (@hesmolIy) October 27, 2020
Voting during a pandemic hits different.
me voting by mail .. was epic pic.twitter.com/lYWJuJM2FE
— Eva Victor (@evavictor) October 19, 2020
Voting, now that’s hot.
Broke: texting your ex. Woke: voting.
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TikTok is also full of voting-related content as videos with the hashtags #IVoted, #Vote, and #Vote2020 have accumulated over 2.3 billion views on the app. Popular videos include mainstream celebrities, famous TikTokers, and everyday people encouraging their fellow Americans to vote if they are eligible.
@selenagomez
Get your jush and vote!
@queenbv59 GET OUT AND GET YOU JUSH….VOTE PEOPLE..#FYP VOTE BIDEN/HARRIS…AND PROUD OF IT.
A “twerk for me” voting remix:
@tiktokinpatinkin #twerkformechallenge #twerk #challenge #vote #voteblue #affirmations #votechallenge #createtheoutcome
And if you needed yet another reminder to cast your ballot, here it is…