Celebrities help get-out-the-vote effort on Twitter

by Alicia M. Cohn - 11/05/12 7:03 PM ET

{mosads}Among them are actors Christina Applegate, Zac Efron, Vivica A. Fox, Aziz Ansari, Ashley Judd, Elizabeth Banks, Neil Patrick Harris, John Leguizamo, Gabrielle Union, Octavia Spencer, Mia Farrow, Ian Somerhalder, Jane Lynch, Kate Walsh, Channing Tatum, “Extreme Home Makeover’s” Ty Pennington, Five for Fighting’s John Ondrasik, author Anne Rice, comedian Rob Delaney, directors Ron Howard and Michael Moore, singers Cher and Janelle Monáe and The Apprentice host Donald Trump.

The Obama campaign, as part of its push in support of early voting, is offering an “I voted” badge to add to any Twitter user’s avatar, which Judd re-tweeted. The president and first lady, who both voted early, are also using the badge.

Monáe, who tweeted earlier in the day that she “can’t sleep” due to anxiety about the election, is re-tweeting responses to the sentence “I’m voting for President Barack Obama because [insert your reason].”

Let’s start a “I’m voting for President Barack Obama because [insert your reason]” Conversation. I’ll retweet your responses. Let’s gho!

— Janelle Monae (@JanelleMonae) November 5, 2012

Somerhalder, a star of The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries,” even invited fans to come find him at his polling location on Tuesday morning.

Gooood morning world.1day left USA!Pls make sure you know where your local poll location is!Ill be@Atl polling spot in morning-come see me

— ian somerhalder (@iansomerhalder) November 5, 2012

And Justin Bieber, who is headlining a concert Monday in Washington, D.C., reminded his nearly 30 million Twitter followers that Tuesday is Election Day.

DC tonight! day before the election. #BELIEVEtour

— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) November 5, 2012

Bieber, a Canadian citizen, is not eligible to vote in the U.S. election.

Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond was also working on getting out the vote for Obama over the weekend. He tweeted that he was making calls from a phone bank.

Working the phones for Obama…If I call you, don’t hang up. It’s really me and I need you. #OFACulver twitter.com/NeilDiamond/st…

— Neil Diamond (@NeilDiamond) November 5, 2012

Not all the tweets were partisan, though. Much like MTV’s celebrity-promoted Rock the Vote campaign, many celebrities on Monday just urged followers to take their voting rights seriously…or not so seriously, perhaps, when it comes to stars such as Neil Patrick Harris.

Please please vote tomorrow. And spend some time educating yourself to make informed choices. It’s your civic duty. Heee. I said duty.

— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) November 5, 2012

Many thanks too ALL you voters who have endured long lines and hassles to vote and employers who make voting easy Pls Vote

— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) November 5, 2012

Hope you vote for @mittromney tomorrow. I believe he is the best choice. More than that, I am grateful to be an American. #54F #Free

— John Ondrasik (@johnondrasik) November 5, 2012

Listen no matter where you stand on political ideology, please let your voice be heard. #Vote2012 It’s the only power you have!!!!!!!

— octavia spencer (@octaviaspencer) November 5, 2012

Are you all planning your day tomorrow so that you schedule a time to #VOTE?

— Jane Lynch (@janemarielynch) November 5, 2012

Given the fact tht this election is so frighteningly close. Don’t for 1 second think ur vote doesn’t matter. Go to the polls!

— christina applegate (@1capplegate) November 5, 2012