From Timeline to Turnout: Social Media Use and Voting Behavior

Publication Date

Spring 4-2026

Presentation Length

Poster/Gallery presentation

College

College of Sciences & Mathematics

Department

Psychological Sciences and Neurosciences, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Adam Smiley

Metadata/Fulltext

Metadata ONLY

Presentation Type

Poster

Summary

With the proliferation of social networking sites and social media use in modern society, its immediate impacts and long-term effects on political behavior and governance remains an important area of study. In the digital age, social media has become a primary source of news, often replacing traditional information dissemination. This raises an important question: does social media usage impact voting behavior? Existing research offers mixed findings. Some scholars posit that social media has a relatively large impact on all aspects of civic life from voting behavior to mobilization. On the contrary, some international scholarship suggests social media’s effects are more indirect, influencing one’s perception of their political party rather than voting behavior. Using the recent 2024 United States presidential election as a case study, I advance that increased reliance on social media for news is associated with a greater likelihood of voting controlling for educational attainment and age. To evaluate this claim, I will analyze data from the 2024 American National Election Study (N = 4,964). Findings will contribute to a growing body of research on the role of digital news on democratic participation. Data will be analyzed and results will be presented at SPARK symposium.

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