LAST CALL!
Today (Sunday, November 1) is the final day of early voting in CT. After today, you have just one more chance to vote in person: on Election Day itself, this Tuesday, November 3. If you’re reading this newsletter, you already know your vote matters. Don’t leave it to others. If you’re not registered to vote, no problem. CT offers same-day registration. Please read below for details before you head out to the polls. If you live elsewhere, please consult your local elections office for details, but don’t miss the opportunity to exercise this most fundamental right.
Once you're done voting, please consider joining efforts to get out the vote here in CT as well as in other states. See below for some phonebanks that you can join.
Want a little fun after this grueling election season? Mark your calendar for the Salisbury Democratic Town Committee’s auction and raffle on Sunday, November 15. This unique event happens only every two years and features unusual items you can’t get anywhere else. See details below, including the auction catalog, and buy your advance discounted tickets now.
With gratitude for the work we do together,
Your Faithful Editor
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In This Issue
- Here's How You Can Still Vote
- Three More Days — You Can Still Make a Difference
- And Now For a Little Fun
- Sarah Zarbock and John Hoffman Honored
- Join a Stand-Out Protest in Your Community
- Other Upcoming Events
- In Case You Missed It
- Get These Other Sources For Action
- Did You Miss a Newsletter?
- Share Your News
- Tell Us What You Think
- Spread The Word
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HERE'S HOW YOU CAN STILL VOTE
Early voting FINAL DAY: Sunday, November 1, 10am-6pm, at Salisbury Town Hall. (Early voting will not be available on Monday, November 2.)
On Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 6am-8pm.
Same-day registration: available on both days.
Absentee ballots! If you have an absentee ballot and can’t vote in person, put it in the drop box outside Town Hall no later than 8pm on Election Day. It’s too late to mail it. In CT, ballots must be received, not just postmarked, by the time the polls close. If you have an absentee ballot you haven’t returned, you can still vote in person instead.
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THREE MORE DAYS — YOU CAN STILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
It may be hard to believe, but many voters are still making up their minds or wondering whether their vote really matters. Recent elections have been decided by razor-thin margins, sometimes just a handful of votes per precinct. Please make the most of these final days by volunteering for a get-out-the-vote phonebanking effort, such as one of those listed below. Your phone calls could make the difference between winning and losing.
Never phonebanked? No problem. Each session begins with a training session on Zoom, so you'll have the guidance you need to get started and succeed.
Salisbury - Let's make sure every Democrat votes and we elect Maria Horn, Jahana Hayes, Aaron Zimmer, Ned Lamont, and the rest of the great Democratic ticket. Contact Jen Ventimilia at (818) 284-5563.
Georgia - Help the Georgia Dems get out the vote - click here.
Wisconsin - Turn out undecided voters. There are roughly 12,000 undecided voters in the critical governor's race. Sign up here.
Pennsylvania - Sign up with Turn PA Blue to make calls and get out the vote. Click here
Three days. Every call counts. Let's finish strong.
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AND NOW FOR A LITTLE FUN
The Democratic Auction and Raffle Is Back! Join us on Sunday, November 15, 4:00–7:30pm, at the Town Grove for an evening of good food, lively bidding, and great company.
Out of town that day? Keep reading, because there’s good news for you at the bottom.
If you’ve been to our Democratic auction before, you know our volunteers prepare delicious food, with plenty of wine, beer, and other refreshments. This year’s auction items are better than ever, including many things you simply can’t get anywhere else. Our auctioneer, noted screen actor David Valcin, is sure to make the bidding especially fun.
New this year: A raffle, giving you even more chances to go home with a great prize.
Most of all, it will be a festive evening with friends and neighbors, and a chance to celebrate our work protecting democracy together as a community.
You can browse the entire auction catalog and buy discounted advance tickets at www.salisburydemocrats.com/auction.
Now for the good news: If you’ll be out of town, you can still take part by submitting an absentee bid in advance. Our volunteers will handle the bidding for you during the evening. Just visit the website for details.
| | SARAH ZARBOCK AND JOHN HOFFMAN HONORED | | |
A capacity crowd packed the Taproom at the White Hart Inn on October 22 to celebrate Sarah Zarbock and John Hoffman, who led our community’s postcarding efforts this election cycle. Kathy Voldstad presented a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the Salisbury Democratic Town Committee and Saving Democracy. The proclamation recognized Sarah’s and John’s “clear vision, thoughtful organizing, and remarkable efficiency” in producing packets of postcards week after week, ready for volunteers to write. It also noted that they had “created a true community — a circle of people who have offered one another succor and support during a very difficult time in our country.” Bravo, Sarah and John! After the award, the crowd enjoyed baked treats provided by Sophia deBoer.
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JOIN A STAND-OUT PROTEST IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Show up at one of the protests happening every week in our area. Bring a sign or a flag if you can—but what matters most is simply showing up. You are part of a movement.
Saturdays
Salisbury - 11am-noon at the Salisbury Town Green at the White Hart Inn.
Litchfield - 11am at 46 West Street, Litchfield Green.
Torrington - 11am-noon at Coe Park, 101 Litchfield Street, Torrington.
Cornwall - 12 noon at the triangle intersection of Routes 4 and 7 South in Cornwall Bridge.
Amenia - 12 noon at Fountain Square, corner of Routes 22 and 343.
New Milford - 12 noon - Protest and Food/Diaper Drive at the Old East Street School near CVS, 50 East Street, New Milford.
Kent - 2-3pm - At 50 North Main Street, north of the Welcome Center.
Fridays
Sheffield (MA) - 4-5pm at Main Street (Rt. 7), across from Roberto’s Pizza. Contact Ricky Bernstein for details at rickypenrose@gmail.com.
Other Days
The Berkshire Visibility Brigade is holding standouts on the Mass Pike overpasses in Stockbridge, West Stockbridge, and Lee (MA) on Sundays, Wednesday, and Thursdays. Click for details and sign-up.
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OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, November 1: Last day of early voting. Final day of Connecticut early voting. Hours between 10am - 6pm. Voters can register on the same day if they meet the state’s voter qualifications.
Tuesday, November 3: Election Day! Last chance to have your voice heard! Voters can register the same day if they meet the state’s voter qualifications.
Sunday November 1- Tuesday November 3, Election event bonanza Want to get involved in the election, but don’t know how? Start here. The Connecticut Dems have tons for you to do between today and election day, from phone-banking and dropping off signs, to election night parties!
Thursdays, November 5, 12, 19 at 3pm: What’s the Plan? Weekly Call with Indivisible’s Founders. The chaos coming out of the White House is a deliberate strategy to sow confusion and make us believe we are powerless to fight back. The antidote? Coming together as a community to cut through the noise and unite around strategies for resistance. Join Indivisible co-founders Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin each week for an hour to discuss what’s happening—and, more importantly, what's the plan. These calls can be very uplifting! Click for details and registration.
Sunday November 15 Salisbury Democrats Fabulous Auction and Raffle! Held at the Town Grove from 4-7:30pm. It’s the event of the season! Buy your discounted tickets now!
Tuesday, November 17 at 7pm: Salisbury Democratic Town Committee. This regular meeting of the SDTC will be held at Town Hall and on n Zoom. Please email Info@salsdems.com to receive a copy of the agenda and the link to the meeting. All are welcome. The Zoom link will also be posted at www.salisburydemocrats.com.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Inside the Business of Trump’s Third-Country Deportations. What happens when immigration enforcement becomes a multibillion-dollar business operating largely out of public view? An investigation by Lawfare, The Intercept, and SITU Research exposes the private contractors, secretive government agreements, and financial transactions behind the Trump administration’s deportation policies. More than 25,000 people have reportedly been deported to countries where they have no connections, while governments and private companies stand to benefit financially. Hidden contracts and questionable deals raise troubling questions about human rights, legality, and democratic accountability. Read the full article in The Intercept.
Five Million Americans Pushed Off Food Assistance. The Trump administration is celebrating a sharp decline in food stamp enrollment as a victory for work. But a new Guardian investigation tells a very different story: nearly 5.1 million fewer Americans received SNAP food assistance between July 2025 and June 2026, following restrictions enacted under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. New work requirements and increased costs for states threaten to leave more families, children, and older Americans struggling to afford food. Food banks are reporting surging demand, and some schools are losing access to programs that provide free meals to all students. Meanwhile, advocates say there is little evidence that those losing benefits have found jobs or higher wages. Read the full article to learn more.
Voters Face Flurry of Ballot Measures That Could Affect Elections. This election, voters in 39 states are deciding on 145 ballot measures, including a record 39 proposals affecting elections. According to Votebeat, these measures could reshape voting requirements, primary elections, and congressional districts across the country. Proposals include stricter voter ID rules, changes to ranked-choice voting, and approval of congressional maps drawn to benefit particular parties. Supporters argue for changes to election systems, while voting-rights groups warn that some measures could make voting more difficult. The surge in proposals comes amid President Trump’s efforts to change election rules nationwide and growing partisan battles over how elections are administered. Read the full article to learn what’s on the ballot.
Denied a Campus Voting Site, NC A&T Students Again March to the Polls. Hundreds of North Carolina A&T State University students made a 40-minute walk from their campus to an early voting site in Greensboro, NC, to exercise their right to vote and show strength. It was the second Greensboro student voter march this month, following an event last week that drew national attention. Earlier this year, state and local elections officials denied students’ petitions for an early voting site on campus for this year’s primary and general elections. Students decided to show the power of their numbers with a march to cast their ballots. Watch this short clip of the march.
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| GET THESE OTHER SOURCES FOR ACTION | |
Because we publish only once a month, there are many events that never make it into our pages. To keep informed about those events, we strongly suggest that you subscribe to some of the excellent, more frequent sources that are listed below.
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Robert Hubbell's Today's Edition provides daily analysis and commentary on the latest political happenings and practical suggestions for what citizens can do. He started the newsletter in 2017 to provide hope and perspective to his family after the unexpected results of the 2016 election. Over time, his family email was shared among friends and became of community of like-minded citizens devoted to preserving American democracy. Click to read his latest posts and subscribe.
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Jill Drew’s Today's Action Daily Blast – This twice-a-week email suggests a single, focused calling action to our public officials each day, most often providing carefully-researched sample scripts along with the contact information for calling US Senators and Representatives serving Northwestern Connecticut and the adjoining area of New York’s Hudson Valley. To sign up email jill@jilldrew.com.
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Saving Democracy email - Indefatigable activist Kathy Voldstad provides announcements of actions for people in and around Salisbury and elsewhere. Kathy's emails also provide inspiration that we all need in times like these. To sign up, email kathyvoldstad@gmail.com.
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Jessica Craven's Chop Wood, Carry Water – This is one of our perennial favorites. Activist Jessica Craven provides daily suggestions on easy actions that each of us can take. Read it here and subscribe free for her daily dose of actions.
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DID YOU MISS A NEWSLETTER?
The entire archive of past newsletters is available at the Salisbury Democratic Town Committee website.
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SHARE YOUR NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please send us any news or announcements that you would like us to share with our community. We publish on the first of each month, so please send us any submissions at least one week in advance. Please submit to the editor at salsdemsnews@gmail.com.
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TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
We love hearing from you, our readers. Every edition of our newsletter is created with you in mind — to inform, engage, and inspire. But your feedback helps us do our job better. Drop us a note — even a few lines can make a big difference. Reach us anytime at salsdemsnews@gmail.com.
Please take our reader survey, If you haven't already done so.
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