About Ready18

Helping young people feel ready to vote.

Ready18 exists to make the jump into voting feel less confusing for first-time voters and pre-registered teens. This page is just the mission and the people behind it.

Mission

Generation Z isn’t voting.

Gen Z civic participation is in crisis. Under 50% of eligible Gen Z voters voted in 2024. At Ready18, we believe that too many people turn 18 without a clear understanding of how to register, where to start, or why it matters to vote. The process feels confusing, distant, or easy to put off.

Ready18’s mission is to centralize the voter registration process, so it’s easier than ever to register to vote.

We’re built on a simple belief: young people should be prepared to vote the moment they turn 18.

Young people should be prepared to vote the moment they turn 18.
Founders

The team behind Ready18.

Each founder has their own photo and bio, with a simpler layout that reads like an About page instead of a landing page.

Niko Gogonis
Founder and Co-President

Niko Gogonis

Hi, I’m Niko Gogonis, the Founder and President of Ready18. I’ve always had a strong passion for American politics, government, and civic engagement. I created Ready18 to turn that passion into real impact, because I believe one of the most meaningful ways to contribute to the democratic process is by helping the next generation get registered and involved. With Ready18, my goal is to make civic participation easier, more accessible, and less intimidating for first-time voters and pre-registered teens.

Derya Hagnesten
Founder and Co-President

Derya Hagnesten

Hi, my name is Derya Hagnesten, and I’m a golfer, clarinetist, and weightlifter who is passionate about community service and civic engagement. I’ve also been fascinated by American government and democracy from a young age. Since then, I’ve always believed that everyone who is eligible to vote should vote, because every voice deserves to be heard. Through volunteering and staying active in my community, I’ve developed a strong sense of responsibility to help others and make a difference. To me, Ready18 is about helping young people recognize the value of their voice and making it easier for the next generation to get involved.

Sebastian Blasdel
Founder and Co-President

Sebastian Blasdel

My name is Sebastian Blasdel and I am proud to be a Peruvian-American. I’ve always had a passion for government whether that be in the United States or back home, and it’s my belief that voting is one of our greatest civic responsibilities. If there is one thing I have learned in being a second-generation immigrant, it is that people deserve an opportunity to have their voice heard in government, no matter where they’ve come from. But many people don’t vote because they don’t know where to start. That’s why we decided to start Ready18: to make sure that people aren’t left clueless, and to give anyone looking to register to vote, especially Gen Z, all the resources they need to do so. I’m a firm believer that every vote counts, and I hope to put that into action with Ready18.

Ready18 is a voter education resource. Always verify rules, deadlines, and registration details with official election sources.