*By Christian Smith*
Taylor Swift's decision to break her political silence and urge her followers to register to vote is an incredibly valuable gift to organizations trying to get out the younger vote on Nov. 6, said DoSomething.org CEO Aria Finger.
"It does matter when young people see other people voting, other celebrities get involved," Finger said Wednesday in an interview on Cheddar. "We want to make it cool for young people to get out and vote."
After the pop star posted a message to [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/BopoXpYnCes/?taken-by=taylorswift) encouraging her over 112 million followers to vote ー and effectively endorsing two Democratic candidates in Tennessee ー registering platform Vote.org said it received a surge in new registrants numbering in the thousands.
At stake in this year's midterms are all 435 U.S. House seats and 33 U.S. Senate seats.
Voter registration has been an essential goal for DoSomething.org, which has registered over 70,000 new voters this year alone.
Beyond voter registration, Finger said there has been a general boost in civic engagement from millennials and Gen Z since Donald Trump was elected president almost two years ago.
"They just want solutions," Finger said.
"Young people say, 'What can I do in my local community to make a difference because the old people, they're not helping us.'"
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-issues-uniting-millennials-going-into-the-midterms).
A judge has ordered the release of parts of a report produced by a special grand jury that investigated efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his narrow 2020 election loss in Georgia.
Another unidentified object was shot down over the weekend, contractors arrested in Turkey after buildings crumbled in earthquake, and arrests in Baton Rouge shooting that injured 12. Here is everything you Need2Know for Monday, February 13, 2023.
Former Vice President Mike Pence has been subpoenaed by the special counsel overseeing investigations into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The death toll in the Turkey Syria earthquake has passed 21,000, Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig was attacked, and shots to stop bird flu. Here is everything you Need2Know for Friday, February 10, 2023.
All Black History Month long, Cheddar News is highlighting industry trailblazers that continue to carve their own paths and set trends across a number of disciplines. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley joined to discuss.
Stories of survivors emerge from Turkey and Syria earthquake, new allegations against officers who killed Tyre Nichols, and Texas sues over abortion bill guidance. Here is everything you Need2Know for Thursday, February 9, 2023.
