TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE COALITION(TJC) LAUNCHES: 'HEY HOUSTON LET’S VOTE!'

A John Lewis “Make Good Trouble,” 11-Day GOTV Blitz Across Harris and Fort Bend Counties

HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, February 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC), in partnership with SEIU, Pure Justice, the Texas NAACP State Conference, NAACP Houston Branch, Houston Area Urban League, Black Voters Matter, League of Women Voters-Houston, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Declaration for American Democracy, and other grassroots partners, will launch “Hey Houston, Let’s Vote!” an 11 day high-energy GOTV tour during early voting, February 17–27, 2026, ahead of the Texas Primary Election.

At the center of the Harris and Fort Bend County mobilization is the nationally recognized John Lewis “Make Good Trouble Vote! Bus.” The bus will lead “Votercades” across Houston and will feature music, clergy engagement, rides to the polls, and voter assistance in communities that have faced voter barriers ahead of the March 3, 2026, Primary Election. Named for civil rights icon John Lewis, the Votercades draw public awareness to the fact that election season has begun.

Since 2020, “Votercades” have mobilized, energized and increased voter turnout in over 200 communities throughout America. Each Votercade concludes near an early voting site with a Celebration Village featuring food trucks, DJs, rides to the polls, voter information, information for returning citizens, and youth activities. The goal is simple: remove voting barriers, increase awareness, make voting accessible, and most importantly to make voting a fun and exciting experience.

The “Hey Houston, Let’s Vote!” campaign will focus on communities with high concentrations of Black voters.

Tour Highlights:
• Kickoff Event: “Houston Communities Lead the Way!”
February 17, 2026 | 12:00 PM–3:00 PM
The Community of Faith, 1024 Pinemont Drive, Houston, TX 77091
Featuring Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Representative Ron Reynolds, Bishop James Dixon, and
community leaders, alongside music, food trucks, and engaging community activities.
• Stops include Third Ward, Fifth Ward, Sunnyside, and South Park in Harris County.
• The tour will go to Briargate, Fresno, and Quail Run in Fort Bend County.

“Black voter participation has long been challenged by long lines, misinformation, and access issues. “Hey Houston, Let’s Vote!” responds with strategy, visibility, and action designed to increase turnout and voter knowledge in the 2026 Primary Election,” says Daryl D. Jones, Esq., TJC Board Chair.
A central focus is Souls to the Polls Sunday, February 22, 2026—the only Sunday of early voting (12:00 PM–7:00 PM). Clergy and congregations will move directly from worship services to polling sites in coordinated Votercades, offering prayer, encouragement, and visible community presence. This model remains one of the nation’s most effective and culturally resonant voter mobilization strategies.

Throughout the 11-day activation, programming will include sign waving, “Barbecue, Beats & Ballots” neighborhood events, senior outreach, campus “Pizza, Beats & Ballots” events, canvassing, flash mobilizations, and coordinated phone banking with local partners.

TJC will deploy Gen Z and young Millennial Freedom Riders to canvass, lead chants, assist with Celebration Village logistics, and drive peer-to-peer outreach. Houston-based volunteers are encouraged to join the effort.

Texas has 254 counties that administer elections under state guidelines. In Harris County, early voting runs February 17–27, 2026, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a voter registration deadline of February 2, 2026.

To complement the “Hey Houston, Let’s Vote!” bus tour, the Declaration for American Democracy (DFAD), with local partners, will lead coordinated phone banking and digital outreach. Volunteers will conduct targeted engagement in the same neighborhoods as the tour, reinforcing on-the-ground efforts and expanding overall turnout impact.

A Model for Civic Joy
Since 2020, TJC’s “Good Trouble Votercade” model has mobilized more than 200 cities nationwide, increasing voter participation. “Hey Houston, Let’s Vote!” infusing fun, music, and community pride into the democratic process of voting. “From clergy to college students, the message is clear,” said Rev. Cameron Barnes, TJC Freedom Rider. “Voting can be festive, empowering, and rooted in community love.”

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Founded in 2015 by Barbara Arnwine, president emeritus of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, where she created the national election protection program. Ms. Arnwine serves as President and Founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, which seeks to be a catalyst for transformative institutional changes that bring about justice and equality in the United States and abroad. Learn more at tjcoalition.org.

Karen McRae or Daryl D. Jones
Transformative Justice Coalition
+1 202-422-6544
Djones@tjcoalition.org
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