20–30 pts
How much less adults under 25 know about which level of government does what
That knowledge gap explains about half of the youth turnout gap.
Stockemer & Rocher, 2016Building social capital
We leverage cultural power, bringing civic life to the bars, run clubs and patios where young Texans already spend their time. Over a drink or a board game, people learn how local power works, meet their neighbors and find reasons to keep showing up.
Our mission
We raise civic participation among Texans 18 to 35 by building political knowledge and social connection at the same time.
Our vision
A Texas where young people know how local power works, have people to show up with, and use both, in every election and the months between.
Fall 2026, by the numbers
How we measure it- 21events: 5 voter registration events, 15 small gatherings and one festival
- 500+real relationships built, person by person
- 2cities organized on the ground, Austin and San Antonio, plus a workshop in Houston and a film screening in rural East Texas
- $20Kin election-only grants carried the whole season, with no paid staff
Every event leads somewhere
It isn't a straight line. The first loop repeats every election. The second is for anyone ready to go deeper. Keep scrolling to follow the runner.
AttendCome to a low-key TVP event. There's no wrong place to start.
From the gap, to the table, to the ballot
Four findings behind how we work, and why knowledge and community have to be built together.
69.6%
of the young San Antonians we surveyed had never seen a nonpartisan voter guide
425 respondents, ages 18 to 35, in a city where turnout ran under 10%.
TVP and UTSA survey, 2025Clarity
Clear information helps voters pick candidates closer to their own views
The people who knew the least going in gained the most.
Roadmaps to Representation, San Francisco, 2018Trust
“Without trust, nothing happens and nothing changes.”
Information explains how to vote. Community is why people keep coming back.
Antionette Priscilla Carroll, Grinnell CollegeWe don't drop off information and leave. We sit at the table with people until local politics feels like theirs. That's how knowledge turns into power.
Sources: Stockemer & Rocher, Age, political knowledge and electoral turnout (2016); Texas Voter Project and UTSA, San Antonio voter survey (May 2025); Roadmaps to Representation (2018); Grinnell College, 2026 Social Innovator in Residence profile. See all our research
Before San Antonio's May 2025 city election, we gave young voters a nonpartisan guide to the races on their ballot. Afterward, we asked what it was like to use. One answer:
“I was feeling very overwhelmed by the large number of mayoral candidates but this was informative, easy to digest, and helped me to narrow down my choices.”
Ways we showed up in 2026
Every event was free, and nobody needed experience or a plus-one.
No upcoming events yet. New ones are on the way.
Get invites to what's next
Early voting & Election Day
Pups to the Polls
Pop-ups at polling places with Dogland: dog treats, bandanas and a selfie stop.
Oct 28
Pinot, Pizza & Politics
Free pizza, BYOB and the ballot as a group project. Everyone researched a race and presented it.
Oct 24
Voter Fest
A free block party at Central Machine Works on the only Saturday of early voting, with live music, line dancing, vendors and nonpartisan voter info.
Oct 22
Race to the Polls
A bar crawl to early voting with The Flock. Your I Voted sticker got you specials at every stop.
Oct 18
Coffee, Beats & Ballots
A morning dance party with URGE: DJs, coffee and a plan to vote.
Oct 1–2
Diners, Dives & VR Drives
Civic trivia nights in Austin and San Antonio, with voter registration at the door.
July 20
Don't Talk About Politics
A board game night where City Council District 5 candidates and young voters met as equals. No campaigning allowed.
Fund the months between elections
Election grants end on Election Day. The relationships don't. The time between elections is when trust gets built, and it's the hardest work to fund.
- Who we reach
- Texans 18 to 35 who distrust formal political institutions and rarely hear from political organizations.
- Where
- On-the-ground organizing in Austin and San Antonio, with a workshop in Houston and a film screening in rural East Texas this year. With more funding, we expand to Houston and the Rio Grande Valley.
- Structure
- Fiscally sponsored project of Future Incubator, a 501(c)(3). Gifts are tax-deductible. EIN 33-3913132.
- Recognition
- Featured in The Young Vote, a PBS documentary about young voters.
- Talk with us
- For grants, partnerships and larger gifts: sophia@texasvoterproject.org
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