Updated as of 4:35 p.m. on Aug. 23 to include more video.
When he opens his Instagram, 19-year-old political science student RJ Doroshewitz clicks through his stories and looks at reposts — not of cat videos or pop culture news, but of Kamala HQ, an official social media account for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
The account, now boasting over 3.8 million followers, posts videos of Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to popular audios and trends.
This pop culture appeal is also found at the Democratic National Convention, where 200 content creators were invited to cover the four day event.
In an Aug. 13 press release, Democratic National Convention Committee Executive Director Alex Hornbrook wrote, “The convention team set out with an ambitious goal of reaching more Americans than ever before.”
And this tactic worked — in an Aug. 21 press release, ahead of the convention’s third night, it was announced that the events of night two were viewed by over 81 million people.
On the DNC official website, it explains that “as Americans continue to consume information and content in new and changing ways, the convention team is committed to offering a dynamic, inclusive experience that will reach Americans within and beyond the United Center.”
Similar methods are being seen across the board. Over 70 content creators were credentialed at July’s Republican National Convention, and the political engagement online even prompted U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to make a TikTok account Aug. 22 —in the midst of the convention.
Jessica Siles, 25, is deputy press secretary of Voters of Tomorrow, an organization that works to engage Gen Z in political elections. To her, the use of social media represents a new way to engage “meeting them where they’re at.”
And where they’re at is on their phones. In a fall 2023 study, change research found that 38% of voters between the ages of 18 and 35 spend three to five hours a day online.
The study also found that 84% of Democrats highly value candidates and elected officials who actively engage with younger voters.
This surge of youth engagement, according to 29-year-old Colorado delegate Kenny Nguyen, is essential, as it gets those in power to focus on “our issues.”
29-year-old Colorado delegate Kenny Nguyen speaks to Elon News Network at the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22. Nguyen urges young people to vote and expressed appreciation for the recent energy shift following the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I grew up with Columbine,” Nguyen said. “I grew up with Boulder, there’s a lot of mass shootings in Colorado, and I want to talk about my issues.”
Dorshewitz said he feels these youth-oriented issues aren’t being given the attention they deserve and believes that the cause is low voter turnout among younger demographics.
“If I was a politician and I had to take a look at that and run the numbers, and I had to pick which group to pander to, I’d pick the old people too,” Dorshewitz said.