Content Creators, Election Administration and Voting: Can Social Media be used to Improve the Voter Information Environment

Fewer Americans are getting news and information from traditional news sources like newspapers and television.  In their place, social media has emerged as an increasingly popular source of news and information, bringing with it profound implications for our democracy.

A 2025 Pew fact sheet found 53% of U.S. adults get news from social media at least sometimes, with 21% saying they do so regularly. These figures are higher among younger generations. A 2023 Morning Consult study found that 63% of Gen Z turns to social media for their news at least once a week, and that number has likely increased.

While many view this shift as a problem to be solved, the reality is that Americans are getting their civic information online, and they will continue to do so.

What can election officials do to ensure that voters receive accurate, accessible and trustworthy information? Election officials have deep expertise about elections and are among the most trusted sources of voting information. In this webinar, we will explore how they can use social media’s broad reach to improve the information people receive about elections, voter registration and voting.

This discussion builds on the Ash Center paper “Building Capacity to Use Social Media: How Election Officials Can Leverage Content Creation to Provide Accurate Voter Information,” which offers frameworks for collaboration between election officials and content creators.

Please join us to learn how election officials are beginning to work with social media influencers and creators to provide accurate, accessible and engaging civic information.

This event is co-sponsored by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. 

Speakers include:

Tommy Gong, County Clerk in Lane County, Oregon; advisory board member for the Election Official Legal Defense Network and a Board Director for the California Voter Foundation

Brianna Wiggity, digital creator

Amanda Yarnell, senior director of Center for Health Communication and a lecturer in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Julia Angwin, investigative journalist, author, New York Times contributing Opinion writer and the founding director of the Independent Media + Audience Project at Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy (moderator)

About the Series

As the United States marks 250 years of democracy, the Ash Center’s Democracy 250 series convenes leading scholars, policymakers and practitioners to examine the nation’s democratic past, present, and future. Through public conversations, lectures, and panels, the series explores the ideas, institutions, and challenges that have shaped American democracy—and the opportunities to strengthen it for generations to come.

Event Details

This event is online only and registration is required. A recording will be made available after the event’s conclusion. The information collected in the registration form is for internal use only and will not be shared externally.

The Ash Center encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its events. Should you wish to inquire about accommodations, please contact the events team in advance.

For additional information, please contact: info@ash.harvard.edu