Marsai Martin named When We All Vote co-chair ahead of 2026 midterms
The actress and producer is expanding her civic leadership role, urging Gen Z voters to register, organize and show up at the polls this November.
Marsai Martin has been named a When We All Vote co-chair as the nonpartisan initiative prepares young voters for the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The actress and producer joins the organization’s roster of civic leaders after years of voter mobilization efforts and a Culture of Democracy Summit aimed at closing race and age participation gaps.
In a Teen Vogue op-ed published July 28, Martin announced that she was moving from ambassador to co-chair. She said taking on the civic leadership role followed her realization that casting a ballot should be the beginning of participation rather than the end.
The “Black-ish” alum urged Gen Z voters to recognize their influence in an election that will put all 435 voting seats in the U.S. House of Representatives on the ballot. She connected the stakes to issues affecting young adults now, including rising costs, immigration enforcement, reproductive health care, climate change and threats to Black political representation.
Martin also acknowledged that confusing information, restrictive voting rules and exhaustion can discourage participation. She encouraged young voters to make the process more manageable by checking their registration, reviewing their ballot before Election Day and organizing a group of friends or relatives to vote together.
Her suggested “voting squads” could share registration deadlines, answer questions about polling locations, offer transportation and remind one another to complete their voting plans.
The promotion builds on Martin’s previous work with When We All Vote. She appeared as an ambassador at the organization’s October 2024 rally in Georgia, where Michelle Obama, Kerry Washington, Shonda Rhimes, Kelly Rowland and other public figures encouraged first-time voters to cast their ballots. In April, Martin was also announced as part of the organization’s Gen Z ambassador group for its “Pass the Mic” national listening campaign.
When We All Vote was founded by Obama in 2018 to increase participation in every election and reduce voting gaps based on race and age. The organization says its current work places particular emphasis on helping young Black and Latino voters shape civic conversations rather than simply receive campaign messages.
As a When We All Vote co-chair, Martin said she hopes her platform will encourage people to register, vote and help others participate. Her message to Gen Z is to replace passive frustration with a plan, bring their communities into the process and cast their ballots on Nov. 3.