If you’ve been turning to TikTok and X for distraction in the days leading up to the 2024 presidential election, you may already be familiar with the phenomenon of people trying to “cancel out” the votes of family members, friends, and other loved ones. If not, read on for a guide to the very-online meme format that’s adding a necessary dose of levity to an increasingly tense election cycle.
How did this trend start?
Like so many other things, the “canceling out votes” trend began with Gen Z: On TikTok, users have been posting videos of themselves walking to the polls as they plan to nullify their more conservative parents’ votes for Trump. Take a look at some of the most popular examples of the format below:
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
How is Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz’s daughter Hope involved?
“I have to cancel out my dad’s vote,” the 23-year-old posted on TikTok, before quickly clarifying that she was only playfully referencing the viral setup: “Jk my dad is literally running for Vice President to protect the rights of women and girls, tackle climate change, lower costs for families, and make Kamala Harris the next President of the United States.” Boomers, thank the social-media-savvy Gen Z-ers and young millennials in your life for their service today!
How many couples are actually on different sides of the political aisle?
Believe it or not, as many as 30% of Americans are in a relationship with someone who does not share their political views, suggesting that the “canceling out votes” trend is getting at something larger and more complex under the surface of US life. “I’ll try every day until November 5 to change his mind, but I also know that he’s a stubborn man. The best I can do is cancel out his vote,” a Harris/Walz voter married to a Trump supporter recently told The Cut, which is admirable, if perhaps misguided.
Is “canceling out votes” a real thing?
No, that’s not really how the electoral college works—though we applaud the spirit behind the meme!
