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.
‘Stop Sexual Violence’
Reports of horrific alleged rapes – and botched investigations – at Cornell and Louisiana State have re-centered public outrage on the nation’s sexual violence epidemic. Survivors and allies are saying “enough” and calling for justice, not just for Jane Doe in New York and Kendall Francis in Louisiana, but for all victims of sexual violence.
The Women’s March has organized a Nationwide Day of Action to Stop Sexual Violence today, October 8. There are anchor events in Manhattan and downtown Los Angeles, and dozens of events across the country. Find an action near you. The Contrarian will be covering the Washington, D.C., event. Join us in demanding a world free from sexual violence.
Read a Banned Book
In the 2025-2026 school year, almost 12,000 books were banned across the country, with Texas and Florida leading the country in book bans. Many titles and authors were removed from school libraries for their inclusion of LGBTQIA+ content or discussions of race, equity, and social justice.
We’re in the middle of Banned Books Week — an annual event promoting liberty of thought and expression. It culminates on October 10 with Let Freedom Read Day. You can resist book censorship by checking out a banned book, contacting a lawmaker (using these talking points), taking the Freedom to Read Voter Pledge, volunteering at your local library, or using the #LetFreedomReadDay and #BannedBooksWeek hashtags on social media.
Contrarians in Illinois can also see the Banned Wagon Tour on its stop at the Chicago Public Library’s Obama Presidential Center branch. It showcases and delivers free copies of more than fifty banned and challenged books.
Cast Your Ballot Early
The midterms are already underway in many states. In-person early voting kicks off within the week in Georgia (on October 13) and in Rhode Island and Tennessee (on October 14), joining early voting already underway in states from Maine to California.
(States where early voting will be under way by October 14.)
Vote-by-mail is also under way in dozens of jurisdictions, with Iowa, Kansas, and Nevada joining the party within the week. Check out ElectionInnovation.org for a state-by-state breakdown of how to cast your ballot early. Vote.org also offers an early-voting calendar.
Double Check Your Registration
Voter registration deadlines are fast approaching. Several states cut off new registrations three weeks before the end of voting, including Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, and West Virginia. Please check your state’s details here, and make sure you, your friends, and your family are prepared to participate. You can double check your own registration status at Vote411.org and make a plan to cast your ballot.
Look Ahead to No Kings 4
The No Kings coalition is getting its gang of millions back together on October 17 to promote early balloting where available and voting plans everywhere else. The idea is to help make the 2026 midterm election “too big to rig” by banking huge numbers of early votes — allowing get-out-the-vote campaigns in November to be more targeted and effective.
Watch Indivisible cofounder Ezra Levin’s Contrarian interview on No Kings 4, outlining how to channel people power to the polls this fall. Partner events are already populating the schedule, including a virtual rally at noon eastern time on the 17th organized by Stand Up For Science, which will include speeches as well as training and phone banking for SUFS-backed candidates.
Learn more about the sky-high stakes of the midterms in this explainer.
Door Knock (or Dial) for Democracy
Swing Left GOTV efforts are attracting star power. Lin Manuel Miranda fans can join the Hamilton creator on October 14 for a virtual phone bank on behalf of five Latino candidates in swing House races.
Swing Left is also recruiting canvassers to knock on doors to boost turnout in the midterms. Click here to find or organize a canvass for “must flip” races near you. The group also has phone-bank campaign to support the group’s target House, Senate, and state-level races. Similarly, Indivisible has phone bank events to boost candidates in 40 target races — 31 in the House and nine in the Senate.
Keep Gun Safety Central in November
If limiting gun violence is a priority election issue for you, find dozens of ongoing actions across the country organized by gunsensevoter.org, a project of Everytown for Gun Safety — which is also organizing a Weekend of Action from October 16 to 18.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
This is Hispanic Heritage month, a celebration of Hispanic and Latino culture and contributions to American history. The National Museum of the American Latino provides resources on the history of this commemoration, and ways to participate.
Take some time this month to learn about Hispanic and Latino activists, athletes, musicians, and Hollywood stars. Or, try a new recipe from Latin American cuisine.
In case you missed it, Maria Cardona and Juan Proaño hosted Johnny Garcia, running for Congress in TX-35, and Texas State Rep. Ramón Romero on “Coffee with Contrarians” this morning. Watch them unpack issues important to the Hispanic community in Texas and underscore the importance of mobilizing the Latino vote nationwide.
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.
