Generation Z has started a new trend leading up to the 2024 US presidential election – “canceling out” their fathers’ votes.
Just days away from Election Day, many women have on TikTok have hinted that they’re voting for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, while their parents are voting for Republican nominee Donald Trump. As part of the trend, each video shows social media users with a piece of paper in hand as they leave their houses to go vote.
In one video posted earlier this month, Arizona-based resident Jeanne could be seen walking around her house. She had her ballot in her hand and did a little dance in her living room, with the video set to the song “We Both Reached For The Gun” from the hit musical, Chicago.
“On my way to cancel out my father’s vote for [the former guy],” she wrote in the text over the video, referring to former president Trump. The text also included a blue circle to represent the Democratic party.
Another woman named Isabella, who’s also based in Arizona, shared a video about supporting Harris while her partner was voting for Trump. The video began with the TikTok user dancing for the camera, before heading into her car. She then kicked her leg and arm out – with her apparent ballot in hand – while sitting in the driver’s seat before closing the door. The video was set to “Level Up” by Ciara.
“POV, [on my way] to cancel out my Trump-loving husband’s vote in a swing state,” she said, along with a blue heart emoji and an American flag emoji.
Meanwhile, some people on social media have made pop culture references when taking part in the trend. One video featured a clip of Taylor Swift wearing sunglasses and holding her cat, which was originally taken during Swift’s Eras Tour stop in Miami, Florida, last October.
In the edited TikTok clip, Swift was instead shown walking into a room of voting stands, before she takes her sunglasses off and looks around. “Me on my way to cancel my dad’s vote,” the text over the video read, along with three blue heart emojis in the caption.
However, some people have used the trend to share a different perspective. In a clip posted by a woman named Jess, she could be seen standing outside of her house and smiling, though she highlighted a deeper meaning behind “canceling out” someone’s vote.
“Going to cancel out my dad’s vote and going to cancel out my husband’s vote feels especially dark when you realize they’re also trying to cancel out our vote,” she wrote. “These men who raised us, took vows with us, men who pride themselves on being ‘protectors,’ are voting to silence our voice, diminish our rights, and counter our choices. We’re voting for ourselves and they’re voting against us.”
“And if [Trump] wins I’ll never forgive them (not my dad and husband tho, but yours lol. And most of my uncles),” she added in the caption.
As for Generation Z’s overall choice for president, it’s still somewhat split. Half of Gen Z voters said they would vote for Harris in November, while one-third said they would vote for Trump, according to a poll shared in September. In the sample poll of roughly 2,600 registered voters aged 18 to 29, 10 percent said they would not vote and six percent said they would vote for a different candidate.
In just four days, Harris will go head-to-head with Trump in the 2024 election. Early voting data has already rolled in, with more than 47 million votes already cast. A new poll has shown that Harris may have an edge in two major swing states, which will be crucial to get ahead in the electoral college. Nearly 100 electoral votes are too close to call, marking perhaps the closest election in several decades.
