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<\/p>\nHOUSTON \u2013 They\u2019re too young to cast a ballot, but a group of young Latinas is hoping to convince their parents, grandparents and neighbors to head to the polls.<\/p>\n
And they\u2019re doing so with quincea\u00f1era dresses, mariachis, food and even a game of loter\u00eda.<\/p>\n
The event, called \u201cQuince to the Polls,\u201d is organized by JOLT Initiative, a nonprofit focused on increasing Latino civic participation across Texas.<\/p>\n
The celebration takes place Saturday, Oct. 24, in Houston\u2019s East End, during the only weekend of early voting ahead of the Nov. 3 election.<\/p>\n
But what do quincea\u00f1eras have to do with voting?<\/p>\n
Why quincea\u00f1eras are getting involved in an election<\/p>\n
Jackie Bastardo, executive director of JOLT Initiative, told KPRC 2 the idea often raises questions because the girls participating are not old enough to vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people get confused because they see quincea\u00f1eras and they say, no, they cannot vote. What\u2019s going on? How is this even related?\u201d Bastardo said.<\/p>\n
The answer goes back to the significance of a quincea\u00f1era in Latino families.<\/p>\n
The celebration traditionally marks a girl\u2019s 15th birthday and her transition toward adulthood. JOLT is using the occasion to encourage young women to begin conversations about the decisions affecting their families and communities.<\/p>\n
Instead of casting ballots themselves, the teenagers are encouraging eligible adults in their lives to participate in the election.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust like we show up for quincea\u00f1eras, we should show up to vote,\u201d Bastardo said.<\/p>\n
She explained the organization wants young people to become familiar with the voting process before reaching voting age.<\/p>\n
The hope is for those conversations to continue at home, particularly in households where elections and politics have not traditionally been discussed.<\/p>\n
What is JOLT Initiative, and is the organization affiliated with a political party?<\/p>\n
Founded in 2016, JOLT Initiative describes itself as the largest Latino civic engagement organization in Texas.<\/p>\n
The group works statewide to register eligible voters, explain the election process and encourage participation.<\/p>\n
Bastardo told KPRC 2 the organization is nonpartisan and does not tell people which candidates or political parties to support.<\/p>\n
Instead, organizers provide information about voter registration, polling locations, voting rights and the candidates appearing on the ballot.<\/p>\n
During our interview, Bastardo showed KPRC 2 a printed voter guide designed to help residents understand where candidates stand on different issues.<\/p>\n
The guide is intended to help voters research their choices before arriving at a polling location.<\/p>\n
Bastardo said some people the organization meets have never voted before, while others believe their participation will not make a difference.<\/p>\n
She understands those concerns personally.<\/p>\n
Growing up, Bastardo said voting and civic engagement were not regular conversations in her household.<\/p>\n
Now, she wants to help families begin having those discussions.<\/p>\n
Organization addresses questions about voter eligibility<\/p>\n
During our interview, KPRC 2 also asked Bastardo about accusations previously made by the Texas Attorney General\u2019s Office concerning the organization\u2019s voter registration efforts.<\/p>\n
Bastardo said the office had accused JOLT of registering noncitizens to vote.<\/p>\n
She rejected the suggestion that the organization was knowingly registering ineligible voters.<\/p>\n
Under Texas law, U.S. citizenship is required to register and vote in state and federal elections.<\/p>\n
Bastardo explained that the organization provides registration requirements to residents and that election officials are responsible for reviewing voter registration applications and determining eligibility.<\/p>\n
She also said JOLT registered more than 100,000 people during the previous election cycle, a figure provided by the organization.<\/p>\n
What to expect at Quince to the Polls in Houston<\/p>\n
Organizers say the celebration will resemble an outdoor quincea\u00f1era, with music, food, community activities and conversations about voting.<\/p>\n
The event is open to the public, including people who are not participating in a quincea\u00f1era.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what organizers have planned:<\/p>\n
Mariachi performances and music<\/p>\n
Loter\u00eda and community activities<\/p>\n
Food and opportunities to meet organizers<\/p>\n
Nonpartisan voter information and educational materials<\/p>\n
Conversations with young Latinas about issues affecting their future<\/p>\n
An opportunity for eligible voters to head to the polls<\/p>\n
Bastardo said organizers want people to enjoy the celebration while learning about the election process.<\/p>\n
When and where is the event?<\/p>\n
Quince to the Polls is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24.<\/p>\n
Location: By The Wayside, 5644 Navigation Boulevard, Houston, TX 77011<\/p>\n
Time: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
Admission: Free<\/p>\n
Organizers are encouraging people to review their sample ballots and research candidates before heading to vote.<\/p>\n
They also remind voters that cell phone use is prohibited within 100 feet of a voting station under Texas election law.<\/p>\n
Why this weekend matters for Texas voters<\/p>\n
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 and 25, are the only weekend days available during the early voting period for the Nov. 3 election.<\/p>\n
For residents who work during the week, the weekend provides another opportunity to vote.<\/p>\n
Early voting continues through Friday, Oct. 30.<\/p>\n
Bastardo said the timing of Saturday\u2019s celebration is intentional, giving families an opportunity to attend the event and participate in early voting.<\/p>\n
For JOLT, the goal extends beyond this election.<\/p>\n
Organizers hope the teenagers participating this weekend will become informed voters themselves when they turn 18 and continue encouraging civic participation within their families.<\/p>\n
And while the quincea\u00f1eras won\u2019t be voting this year, they\u2019re asking the adults around them to think about the decisions being made for their future.<\/p>\n
Have you talked with your children or family members about what\u2019s on the ballot this election? KPRC 2 wants to hear from you.<\/p>\n
Start Here, Houston<\/p>\n
More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOUSTON \u2013 They\u2019re too young to cast a ballot, but a group of young Latinas is hoping to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":475603,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[6288,2065,288,56,58,57,61555,287,161064],"class_list":["post-475602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-decision-2026","tag-early-voting","tag-elections","tag-houston","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news","tag-jolt-initiative","tag-politics","tag-quince-to-the-polls"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=475602"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475602\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/475603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=475602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=475602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=475602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}