Dallas teen starts group to encourage Gen Z to register to vote

DALLAS - The deadline to register to vote in Texas is Monday. FOX 4's Steven Dial spoke to three high school students who had a registration drive during their lunch period who said young voices need to be heard.

While the seniors at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center in Dallas may not be interested in being politicians, it doesn't mean they don't care about the political process.

Senior Ariana Singh has realized many people don't have the education and opportunity to vote. "I think that is what inspired me to do something about it," she said.

Singh started a non-partisan group called Gen-Z Votes. The mission is simple - getting young people more involved in voting. She held a voter registration drive in her school cafeteria on Thursday.

Ariana Singh, a student at the School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center, was recently invited by the Biden-Harris administration to participate in a national roundtable discussion on youth voter engagement. 

Recently, Singh was invited to the White House recently by the Biden-Harris administration to participate in a national roundtable discussion on youth voter engagement. She’s one of only four high school students across the entire country—and the only one from Texas—to have this incredible opportunity.

The takeaway from the roundtable was to concentrate on groups who are least likely to turn out to vote. 

"We had the conversation of even if you are not the age, there is still room to create a plan," said Shruti Sharma, Senior. "I think a lot of us take a step back and say we are not 18, my voice can't be heard yet."

Amaad Garrett isn't 18-years-old yet, but he is registering people to vote.

Amaad Garrett, Senior, Ariana Singh, Senior, Shruti Sharma, Senior 

"To me, voting is a rite of passage, an American rite of passage. I think it is critical and imperative for all people to vote and express their political beliefs and opinions," said Garrett.

Some of the civic engagement gap with young people is being educated. That education played out in real time while they were setting up the voter registration table. 

"I was asked, ‘What is voter registration? What do you mean I have to register?’ He was old enough to register, and I told him, ‘Hey come back during lunch. I will have a VDR here, I will get you registered,'" Singh said.

This election has played out on social media more than ever. Both presidential candidates are involving podcasters and influencers in their outreach to try to attract younger voters.

Last year, Ariana Singh started her own nonprofit called Gen Z Votes, which empowers teens to make a difference and explore ways to get involved in civic engagement. 

"I am on TikTok a lot, and I am seeing some of these TikToks, and I am like, ‘Wow, I see what they are doing,’ and it's a way to be informed," Sharma said.

"It's about making a bigger impact for all people, regardless of their demographics and political beliefs," said Garrett.

According to the Center for Information and Research at Tufts University, Gen Z voters turned out at higher rates than previous generations during the 2022 midterm. The number is expected to climb in November.