While most college freshmen are settling into campus life—choosing majors, meeting new friends and finding their footing—one Texas student has his sights on a broader goal: a seat on the Austin City Council.
Dave Thadani, a computer science freshman at the University of Texas at Austin, is in the running for Austin City Council’s District 9 seat, which represents UT and West Campus, as reported by The Daily Texan. To Thadani, his candidacy is the beginning of a movement—one aimed at showing students they shouldn’t be left behind in a city that prides itself on being shaped by its flagship university.
“A lot of people ask me if it’s challenging being a student and running for office at the same time, but I think that’s the point,” Thadani told the Daily Texan. “I’m living an experience that everybody has to live.”
In the November election, Thadani will challenge three competitors on the ballot: UT alumnus Zohaib “Zo” Qadri, who has held the District 9 seat since 2023, former UT professor Rich Heyman and UT alumna Katie Kam. The minimum age to run for an Austin City Council seat is 18.
If elected, Thadani could rival those like U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), who once represented District 4 on the Austin City Council, as one of the youngest members ever to serve—and his campaign reflects that. Thadani’s Instagram is filled with Gen Z-style memes, TikTok trends and a more playful approach to politics.
The UT freshman embraces his youth publicly in numerous tongue-in-cheek videos posted across his social media. But he says it’s his policy priorities that really matter.
Thadani has highlighted landlord transparency and renter protection, safe and sustainable city planning, and abundant accessible and affordable housing as three of his top priorities. His focus is set on group-centered leadership and transparency.
“I really want to show people that anyone, regardless of political background, can run for office,” Thadani said on his campaign website. “This movement isn’t about me, it’s about all of Austin having the opportunity to represent their community.”
The Longhorn, with a $10,000 fundraising goal and other early benchmarks, is slowly but steadily building out his campaign. Whether voters are ready for a freshman representative remains to be seen—but one thing is for sure, Thadani’s college bucket list looks a little different from most.