Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.
Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.
Gear Up for No Kings 4
Get ready for the most important No Kings event yet. The coalition famous for record-setting street protests is getting the gang of millions back together on October 17 to cast early-vote ballots, where available, and to promote midterm election voting plans everywhere else. The idea is to help make the 2026 midterm election “too big to rig” by banking huge numbers of ballots early.
The No Kings coalition is holding a kickoff call tonight, September 10, at 8 p.m. eastern, to convey “the vision, urgency, and strategy” of the mid-October action. You can also watch Indivisible cofounder Ezra Levin’s recent interview with The Contrarian outlining how to channel people power to the polls.
Help Voters Get IDs
Many states now require voter ID at the polls — creating a barrier for eligible voters who, for any number of reasons, may not have a government-issued photo identification. Vote Riders offers free support to Americans who need help collecting necessary documents, making appointments, and paying the fees to get an official ID. The group is signing up volunteers to help with this vital work. Find out more here.
Dial for Democracy
You don’t have to live in a swing district to help key candidates win in November. Talking to voters one-on-one, even over the phone, is a highly effective way to share information about Election Day and convey how high the stakes are this midterm.
Indivisible has organized phone banking events to boost candidates in 40 target races — 31 in the House and nine in the Senate — from Florida to California and many states in between. Never phone banked before? Not to worry! Each event has in-depth training included, with Indivisible staff on call to answer questions. For more on Indivisible’s midterm plans, check out the group’s General Election Kickoff Call.
Accompany Migrants in Court
New York based Contrarians, you can help folks navigate the immigration court system. The New Sanctuary Coalition is offering weekly trainings this fall support to people “pursuing legal immigration status while facing a hostile system.” You’ll learn how to help with paperwork, accompany people throughout their hearings, and connect them with “resources to… fight deportation and detention.” Sign up for a training in Brooklyn September 17 or September 24.
Participate in National Voter Registration Day
The Trump administration, in league with the Supreme Court, continues to diminish voting rights. Help boost turnout in the midterms by celebrating National Voter Registration Day, a “civic holiday dedicated to celebrating our democracy,” on September 15. The NVRD website offers resources on understanding your ballot and encouraging your community members to exercise their voting rights. A handy tool can help you register in your state.
Turn the South Blue
Join Run for Something and YALLvote on September 15 for a virtual learning session on transforming the South from red to blue. You’ll hear from state representatives, community members, and pro-democracy leaders, including Amanda Litman and Amanda Nelson, on topics ranging from running for office to activating your digital community.
Powerscroll for Your Country
SwingLeft has a new program to “doomscroll” for the greater good. The idea is to get friends together and engage with prodemocracy content online — goosing the Big Tech algorithms that will then serve that content up to a much wider audience. These Social Strategy Power Hours take place each Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. eastern time. Attend and make sure to share the Contrarian’s Instagram and TikTok pages.
Preserve the ‘Roadless Rule’
The Trump administration is attempting — again — to open pristine stands of federal forest to logging and development roads. The Department of Agriculture recently announced it is attempting to rescind a landmark 2001 “Roadless Rule” that protects nearly 45 million acres of national forest from resource exploitation.
The administration is dressing up this giveaway to logging and mining companies as a way to reduce wildfire risk. However, according to the Center for Western Priorities, the move would actually “degrade drinking water, fragment wildlife habitat, and increase the Forest Service’s $10 billion road maintenance backlog.” You can comment on the proposed regulation through September 21.
Oppose Exorbitant Visa Fees
The Trump administration is again attempting to turn visas for high-skilled workers into a racket, proposing to charge $100,000 for each H1-B visa applicant. A federal judge previously struck down a Trump executive order imposing a similar exorbitant charge as an illegal tax. But Trump is now seeking to enact this fee through a regulation. The public can comment on the proposed rule — which would affect the availability of skilled workers in fields from healthcare and advanced research to programming and tech. Speak out through September 24.
Block a Yosemite Giveaway
The Trump administration wants to surrender protected Yosemite parkland to a private developer so it can build a road to upscale lodging it plans to build just outside the park. The deal would benefit Kingsbarn Realty Capital by shortening the drive from its luxury development to the valley floor. (Watch this video for a quick explainer.) You can contact your members of Congress at this petition site and demand they protect the national park.
Vote Like Your Nation Depends on It
The “November” midterms actually begin as early as September in some states, with early voting set to start in just weeks. Opportunities differ by jurisdiction, so check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early, whether in-person at an early voting center, or by mail. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar. Check your voting details at Vote411.org and make a plan to cast your ballot.
Click here to find The Contrarian’s standing resources for empowering yourself in American civic life — from contacting your elected officials, to ensuring your right to vote, to supporting public-interest journalism.
Our NH Bridge Brigade has been out just about every week since April 2025 on an overpass with our large large signs …. Winter cold/wind and summer heat. Now that’s a record. We are out reminding vote vote vote and other such messages
Thank you for this amazing list of calls to action! Thank you for all that you are doing to protect our democracy! 💙🙏🏼