Over half of Americans say social media posts have influenced their voting decisions during election season, according to new Sprout Social research

* The Q3 2026 Pulse Survey finds 55% of U.S. voters say seeing a social media post has informed (28%) or changed (27%) their opinion on who to vote for * 50% of Americans follow at least one politician on social, and 33% say seeing their posts directly makes them seem more approachable * At the same time, 80% are worried about encountering AI-generated deepfakes of political candidates during voting season CHICAGO, Oct. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ahead of the 2026 midterms, new research reveals social media has become an increasingly influential factor in elections, particularly for younger voters. According to Sprout Social's Q3 2026 Pulse Survey, 55% of Americans say a social media post has informed or changed their opinion on who to vote for. Among Gen Z, that number rises to 79%, and nearly half (48%) say a social post has changed their opinion outright.

That influence reflects where younger audiences now get their information. While TV is still the top source for midterm election news overall, social media ranks first among Gen Z and Millennials. Its role will only grow as Election Day approaches, with over 1 in 5 Gen Z and Millennial users planning to use social media more to follow election news ahead of the midterms. In addition, Gen Z is nearly twice as likely as the general population to rely on creators and influencers they follow for election information.