Hallowelection: The spookiest season

On the Halloween before the 2016 presidential election, I remember spotting numerous high schoolers wearing masks that depicted the faces of soon-to-be President Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton going door to door with pillowcases as they shouted, “Trick-or-Treat!” Although the 2020 election did not get its share of Halloween fun due to the COVID-19 pandemic, costume stores like Party City continue to stock their shelves with presidential masks replicating candidates’ faces.

These options stem from a history of interest in wearing political costumes on Halloween, especially when candidates become popular or infamous during that year’s election cycle. Whether they celebrate or mock the candidate they depict depends solely on the costume-wearer. Either way, the costumes allow voters to satirize American politics in a low-stakes, lighthearted manner. This is important considering the holiday’s proximity to Election Day. Celebrators should have their fun during the weekend, but also take that political passion to the polls on Nov. 5. Treating politics lightheartedly on Halloweekend by dressing up as your “favorite” candidate — especially this year — could serve as an opportunity to increase civic engagement just days before the election.

For a little more than three decades, Halloween costume chain Spirit Halloween has tracked presidential mask sales and used them to predict election outcomes in what they call the “Presidential Mask Index.” There are clearly flaws with this system, as only a slim percentage of Halloween costume-wearers will pick political costumes. It’s interesting to note, however, that in 2016 and the 20 years before it, Spirit Halloween correctly predicted election outcomes for every presidential election thus far. This shows that we can reasonably mix something as serious as the presidential election with humor and fun, particularly during the spooky season.

One may argue, fairly, that an individual’s Halloween costume choice and their civic engagement are two separate things. Although this is true — there isn’t much evidence suggesting a correlation between the two ideas — it is important to recognize that people approach politics differently, and Halloween presents an opportunity to do so lightheartedly. It’s also OK to have fun with serious topics like politics, just like the Spirit Halloween chain does as they track their mask sales each election season.

Generation Z, in particular, generally differs from older generations in their approach to politics. Media trends, specifically regarding political campaigns, demonstrate that marketers target issues such as inflation, housing, health care and more that are important to this generation. Because this presidential election is expected to be close, both the Democratic and Republican candidates are attempting to appeal to Gen Z voters. While Harris has jumped on the “brat summer” trend by mimicking Charli XCX’s new album cover in her campaign’s banner, Trump is appealing to economic factors, such as a dissatisfaction with the current cost of living, to reach the younger audience.

Typically, content that appeals to humor attracts audiences. People prefer brands, for example, that sell the feelings of joy and fun to them. Politicians, in the same vein, try to incorporate humor into their campaigns to appeal to voters. While always taking a playful approach may distract from important conversations regarding policy and initiatives, the occasional incorporation of humor by campaigners and party-followers could potentially help the United States diverge from a past of otherwise low voter turnout rates in recent elections.

Younger voters face more obstacles to go out and vote, likely in part because some do not receive effective civic education throughout their schooling, and in part because of poor time management skills. As such, young voters tend to favor and take a more lighthearted approach to politics. It is often easier to digest and engage with serious subjects when we joke about them.

People find humor alluring because it provides a temporary break from particularly serious situations. Our society emphasizes a need for fun during times of crisis to manage stress and anxiety. This was true during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s true now, during what seems to be a high-stakes election season. Voting for whom you think is the right candidate can be stressful, especially as you sift through various narratives surrounding each one. Therefore, approaching the matter cheerfully or humorously during events like Halloween allows you to balance the serious with the silly.

Consider the various students and canvassers located around campus asking if you’ve registered to vote. I’ve noticed that many people, including myself, simply walk past and ignore their questioning. It feels mundane, and sometimes low-effort, when people stand around asking rather than doing something to capture people’s attention. A more cheerful approach, reflecting marketing interests, could potentially boost engagement. Spotting someone going around in an Uncle Sam costume on Halloween, for instance, could be a lot more engaging than being stopped on the Diag on your way to class.

Halloween presents people with the perfect opportunity to make political statements they otherwise might be unable to make at the polls, since some states enforce restrictions on Election Day regarding attire. Halloween doesn’t just have to be about horror and candy. Many traditions associated with the holiday continue to be honored, but recently, it has become increasingly popular among adults who want to make satirical statements with their costumes. This can involve dressing up as figures like Uncle Sam, a political candidate of your choice or even a voting ballot.

College parties are the prime location to be creative about your costumes. While a party-goer’s mask may not exactly reflect their political affiliations, it could potentially serve as an opportunity to lighten an otherwise dark season. If your goal is to persuade people to go out and vote mere days after Halloweekend, dressing in a political costume is another way to engage peers in their civic responsibilities — an active form of persuasion, rather than defaulting to reposts on social media platforms like Instagram. Despite Halloweekend typically entailing days of parties, this year we should also remember the importance of voting shortly after.

Although we may not be able to accurately predict who will win the presidential election based on who wears what costume, we can balance humor and horror to promote civic engagement this spooky season.

Giselle Sesi is an Opinion Analyst who writes about the human condition. She can be reached at gigisesi@umich.edu.

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