[Photo courtesy SGA President Daylan Anderson Harris]

The Student Government Association will host a Voter Registration Day in Martin Hall on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 12:15-1:45 p.m.. 

The event will begin with speeches from SGA president Daylan Anderson Harris, University President Emily Messer and Fort Worth Councilwoman Jeanette Martinez.  

Councilwoman Martinez, a TxWes alumna, serves Fort Worth’s district 11 where she became, in 2023, the first Latina to be elected to Fort Worth’s city council.  

“We’re privileged to have someone of her caliber joining us and talking to students about the importance of government and shared governance,” Harris said. “I’m excited to see what she has to say to the students.” 

The event will focus on encouraging civic engagement among college students and getting attendees registered to vote in upcoming elections. Senior finance and accounting major Robert Tracy, who serves as the SGA At Large Representative, drew parallels between campus involvement and civic engagement. 

“The majority of the [SGA] officers this year ran on a platform of making sure [student] voices are heard. With the fact that our first event is teaching individuals about the responsibilities of voting, we feel that directly ties into our promise,” Tracy said. “Not only are we allowing them to have their voices be heard on our campus, we’re teaching them in the political arena to have their voices be heard as well.” 

Following the speaking segment, the event will transition to Kay Granger Mall where students will be served food, introduced to various student organizations and given the opportunity to register to vote.  

Harris described the event as the beginning of a concerted effort towards making SGA more active and visible on campus.  

“We are trying to build the presence of SGA on campus,” Harris added. 

Junior business major and SGA Chief Justice Ellis Wamsley described the importance of student governments supporting participating in local, state and national elections.  

“A lot of us [college students] aren’t educated on the importance of voting and that our voice matters,” Wamsley said. “It’s very important for someone around their age to explain that importance and why it matters to go to the polls and vote.”