Hillary Clinton’s viral “Pokémon Go to the polls” remark has resurfaced on social media during the November 3, 2026, U.S. elections, marking 10 years since the former presidential candidate first made the joke. The phrase, originally intended to encourage younger Americans to vote, continues to circulate as an internet meme associated with political campaigning and nostalgia for 2016.
Clinton made the remark during a campaign rally in Annandale, Virginia, on July 14, 2016, shortly after the release of the augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go. Her attempt to connect the popular game with voting quickly attracted online attention, with users sharing jokes and edited videos about the comment.
A Decade-Old Political Meme Remains Popular
Cesar Ruiz de Castilla, an elected ward committee member in Philadelphia, told TechCrunch that the remark became widely discussed online because many younger audiences considered it awkward and disconnected from internet culture. The phrase has continued appearing around subsequent elections, with users referencing it to express humor, political frustration, or nostalgia.
The meme’s longevity has coincided with significant changes in technology and political communication. Pokémon Go’s original developer, Niantic, sold its gaming business to Scopely for $3.5 billion in 2025, placing the game under a company owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Political campaigns have also adopted increasingly sophisticated social media strategies, including dedicated meme creators and collaborations with online influencers. Donald Trump established his own social media platform, Truth Social, while the White House expanded access to podcasters and digital content creators.
Renewed Interest in 2016 Internet Culture
The meme’s return coincides with a wider revival of interest in 2016 internet culture. During the first three weeks of 2026, Spotify reported a 790% increase in user-created playlists containing “2016” in their titles, reflecting renewed attention to music and cultural references from that period.
Political content creator Organizer Memes, who teaches younger activists to communicate through memes, described 2016 as a period when content circulated across platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. The creator contrasted that environment with today’s more fragmented social media platforms and algorithm-driven feeds.
The phrase has also become a recurring reference across political groups, although audiences interpret it differently. Some use it to criticize Clinton’s approach to younger voters, while others treat it as a humorous reminder of previous elections.
Political Memes Continue to Influence Campaign Communication
The renewed attention also recalls the “Kamala is brat” phenomenon during the 2024 presidential campaign. Supporters created videos featuring Kamala Harris using music and visual references from Charli XCX’s album Brat, turning existing online cultural trends into political content.
Jess Rauchberg, an assistant professor of communications at the University of Leeds, previously observed that memes about Harris shifted from criticism of her prosecutorial record to expressions of support. The change illustrated how similar online formats could serve different political purposes depending on their creators and audiences.
Mack Finkel, who canvassed on behalf of a healthcare workers’ union during the November 2026 elections, compared Clinton’s original remark to an authority figure attempting to participate in a joke popular among younger people. He attributed its continued circulation partly to the humor associated with political figures adopting internet trends.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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