Brunswick Area Indivisible Newsletter #34
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"We are a grassroots organization of concerned residents of Brunswick, Topsham and Harpswell” Newsletter for October 4, 2026 Brunswick Area Indivisible Action Calendar: BAI Community Meeting, Wednesday, October 7th, 6pm, Brunswick United Methodist Church, 320 Church Rd, Brunswick. Social half hour, the meeting starts at 6:30. Get to know your local candidates and how we can secure the election from 'shenanigans'. Chrissy Hart, of the League of Women Voters, will join us to present the League's Election Observation Program. The program organizes volunteers to serve as nonpartisan election observers, helping to fill a crucial role in keeping our elections well-run and trusted. We will hear from Candidates for Brunswick's Town Council which plays an important role in developing our community and allocating tax dollars. BAI invites you to meet these candidates and spend some time talking with them about the issues that matter to you. After a brief introduction we will adjourn to the community room for conversation and refreshments. BAI POSTER PAINTING PARTY Monday, October 12th, 6-8pm, Brunswick United Methodist Church, 320 Church Rd, Brunswick. COME ONE COME ALL! We will provide cardboard, paint, and magic markers! Test your artistry and sloganeering !! Let's get ready for No Kings IV: Early Voting Edition Saturday October 17th. No Kings 4! Get out the Vote! Saturday, October 17th, 3-5pm on the Brunswick Mall, Maine St, Brunswick. A community rally to drive record voter participation in the midterms. Details TBA. BAI Book Group Discussion Wednesday, October 21st, from 4 to 5:15pm. Topsham Public Library. ‘You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train' by Howard Zinn. Dress the Resistance, Fashion/Art Show; October 30th, 7-9pm, Brunswick United Methodist Church, 320 Church Rd, Brunswick. This will be a fun event where protesters can show off their cosplay protest costumes by walking as fashion models on the runway to music! The theme is “The Blue Wave”, and we’re encouraging everyone to vote in the midterm elections! Fashion models can dress in protest costumes, in blue-wave-inspired fashion, or show their pride or halloween spirit Build the Blue Wave! Show me what democracy looks like! Trick or Treat! No Kings, Yas Queens! Details, signups and catwalk rehearsal information coming soon to BAI's website www.brunswickareaindivisible.org. Recurring Events (Brunswick) Tuesdays, 5:30 pm Brunswick Maine Street Route 1 Overpass Rally - Bring your signs and flags. Wednesdays, 12:30 pm Brunswick Town Mall Cosplay protest. Meet at the Gazebo- costumes optional Saturdays, 11:00 am to 12:00 Brunswick, Maine St. on Rt 1 Overpass. Bring banners, signs. Mark your calendar (events sent to us by other groups): How Maine Elections Work: A Community Conversation Monday, October 5th, 6:00 - 8:00pm, Freeport Performing Arts Center, 30 Holbrook St, Freeport, ME. A moderated, nonpartisan discussion sponsored by Stronger Together Freeport, the League of Women Voters of Maine and Greater Freeport Indivisible. Details below. No Kings, Vote Early! Indivisible Sagadahoc invites all to join them Saturday, October 17, No Kings - Vote Early! Please join us at the Sagadahoc Bridge, Route 1, Bath from 10:00 AM to 11:00-ish. Listen to songs from the Indivisible Sagadahoc Chorus and rally on the Bridge for voting early and for protecting our free and fair elections. Concert to benefit The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) Saturday, October 24th, 7pm, Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodfords St. Portland, ME. Sponsored by The Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick and Woodfords Congregational Church of Portland. Details below. For More actions and events, visit Activate Maine and Mobilize Could you canvass, phone bank, or tech bank for a candidate on the Democratic ticket? The Maine Democrats' Coordinated Campaign is an easy way to get involved. You don't need to be a party member. Check out their events on Mobilize. Countdown to Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026
For other towns, check the Town Clerk/Registrar finder on the Secretary of State's website.
Why Vote Early?The general consensus on early voting is that it increases voter turnout in certain groups, prevents long lines and helps reduce the impact of major disruptions on election day. However, Trump and his cronies calling everything fake they do not like or agree with adds a new dimension to the voting process. Trump contested his 2020 presidential campaign to a point that he got away with an insurrection. With that in mind, what wouldn’t he do to interrupt the mid-term elections, particularly since it does not appear to be going his way. There have been threats the US Postal Service could derail the mid-terms by rejecting thousands of ballots. Homeland Security has launched voter fraud investigations in nine states. The FBI has been investigating a voting rights group in Ohio. Universities have been intimidated for using federal funds to promote nonpartisan voting. At this time it appears that the above factors will not interrupt voting, but could be used after election day to contest the ‘fake elections’. With a potential blue wave coming, Trump is well aware it will diminish his power as president. The combination of a psychopathic narcissistic personality, increasing concerns with dementia and over all poor health opens up the possibility of endless debauchery. His apparent inability to make informed decisions is not new and his diminished mental capacity will allow his minions to have more influence. What could go wrong? With all the unknowns it is important to encourage everyone you know to check their voter registration and vote early. We need to be on record prior to the Trump Administration calling the elections invalid. This is a highly likely outcome and will be done illegally. It will take the courts months to catch up to him as we continue our descent into Fascism. Stand up and be counted. Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Read about the League of Women Voters push to protect the vote. Civics 101 PartThe Constitution can be thought of as a recipe for a national government. It is handwritten on paper with times, measures, and processes to make things work together. The first part of the constitution, the preamble, is the description of the recipe. “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America”. The preamble is what we read first and lays the foundation for the concepts for our government. This short section is what is most familiar to most Americans: “We the people”, all the way through to secure “Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”. The preamble speaks of forming a more perfect union than existed in the past. Justice is prominent on the minds of the founders as well as for all people. Tranquility so people feel secure. Common defense prevents attacks from outside the United States. Promoting the general welfare of the people to prosper for the good of themselves, their families, the community, the states, and the nation. THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AMERICAN. These feel-good words are the inspiration of the recipe to follow. The next installment is the actual recipe that has lasted 250 years. What’s the Plan with Erica ChenowethHow do you stop an authoritarian with a mass movement? What strategies and tactics have actually worked, here in the U.S. and abroad? Erica Chenoweth, Harvard professor and expert on authoritarianism, political violence and its alternatives and the person who came up with the 3.5% metric as a useful rule of thumb when when calculating the percentage of the population needed to oppose authoritarianism in order to stop it from consolidation, joined Ezra Levin and Leah Greenburg in a recent What’s the Plan podcast. What's the Plan podcast, Sept. 25, 2026 Chenoweth says authoritarianism usually takes 18 months to 2 years to consolidate and take complete control over a country. They think we have a very well prepared and organized civil society that has been pushing back successfully in many cases, against the assaults on the rule of law by the Trump regime. Midterms are crucial because they are an inflection point that fall in that critical window of authoritarian consolidation. It is an opportunity for civil society to turn out in huge numbers and elevate elected officials who will stand up for democracy and vote out those who will not. There was also an emphasis on the importance of down-ballot races of local and state officials. There are three arenas to push back against authoritarian consolidation: the courts, in the streets, and at the polls. The No Kings Oct. 17th event is intended to prevent authoritarian control by driving a massive early vote turn-out as well as to recruit volunteers to push back against election sabotage. Chenoweth reiterated the importance of massive voter participation, and early voting. The more decisive the outcome the harder it will be to sabotage the results. Pro-Democracy, Not Necessarily DemocratIn the same interview, Chenoweth stated that successful political movements become more diverse over time. BAI is nonpartisan but is it truly inclusive for people who do not identify with the Democratic party? We need to welcome and reflect a range of political leanings. People are more likely to join movements, says Chenowith, when they can see others like themselves involved. We know that Unenrolled Voters in Maine are a significant force, around 32% of registered voters. They came out for the Primary, and indications are, most voted the Democratic ballot and many leaned Progressive. (Turnout by party enrollment has not yet been published by the Secretary of State’s Office, but the Portland Press Herald reported more than 16,000 Unenrolled absentee ballots were counted. They chose to vote the Democratic ballot 3 to 1.) It is more difficult to assess Swing or Split-Ticket Voters of any party. A recent article indicates that name recognition has a strong influence on some. Which suggests that getting out the word about a candidate may be effective, especially in the tighter and more local races, like school board or municipal offices. So, support your preferred candidates through as many means as possible: canvassing, phone banking, displaying lawn signs, conversations on where they stand on issues. As we enter Early Voting season, let’s be clear: Indivisible is a Pro-Democracy movement, welcoming to anyone who shares this value. Not everyone in the room or at the rally identifies as a Democrat or “Democrat-leaning.” That’s more than ok, its a strength. Focusing on common concerns rather than labels may be most prodOutreach agenciesuctive in persuading people to become active, to vote, and perhaps to join the movement. Such as:
Get Ready! It's Anything But Beautiful...Oh yes! One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) (others give it a much less flattering title) will have adverse effects into the next decade. What should Mainers prepare for now? MaineCare & SNAP Medicaid cuts from OBBBA have led to 3–5 million Americans losing healthcare coverage, with total cuts reaching nearly $1 trillion over the next decade. These reductions affect hospitals, physician services, community care, prescriptions, long-term care facilities, and mental health services The Maine Department of Health and Human Services describes new “work requirements” that begin in January 2027. To qualify for MaineCare, adults aged 19–64 must work at least 80 hours per month and earn a minimum of $580. Equivalent volunteer or school hours are sometimes accepted, and Maine DHHS lists a dozen exemptions. 3.5 million people have lost their SNAP benefits, as a result of the OBBBA. with $186 billion in projected cuts to the program over the next ten years. In addition, each state is now responsible for 75% of the administrative costs, a new cost of about $60 million charged to the state. (See “Impact of Federal Changes, Medicaid and SNAP.”) SNAP benefits also have work requirements, the same as MaineCare. The OBBBA has ended waivers for homelessness or housing instability, veterans, and youth who were formerly in foster care. There are no more waivers for unemployment, unless the rate in an area is greater than 10%. The real hurdle for both MaineCare and SNAP recipients is the documentation. An August 15th NYTimes Editorial predicts that 2 of every 3 current qualified enrollees will lose their coverage due to complicated documentation and paperwork, a serious roadblock. If people work different hours from month to month, they may qualify one month, and lose their coverage the next. This is often the case for many part time employees. Paperwork must be submitted twice a year, instead of annually, increasing the opportunity for mistakes and disqualification. According to a blog post from the Maine Center for Economic Policy “While work reporting requirements are often touted as ways to encourage people with low income into the work force, the reality is most people using assistance programs already work or would like to work if they could, but they face barriers ranging from unpredictable schedules to poor health or lack of transportation. Adding extra paperwork does nothing to remove these barriers and simply punishes people already in a difficult situation (as well as tripping up some people who are working but make a mistake while reporting it).” If you need assistance with MaineCare or SNAP, contact one of the SNAP Outreach agencies, or search 211Maine.org. How Maine Elections Work: A Community Conversation October 5th, 6:00 - 8:00pm, Freeport Performing Arts CenterA nonpartisan panel discussion on Maine's election administration process. Join us for a community conversation about how elections are run and safeguarded in Maine. This moderated panel brings together the officials and community leaders who administer and support the voting process to walk through how a ballot is cast, counted, and certified, and to answer the questions Maine voters have about the system.Confirmed Speakers:
Format: Moderated panel discussion followed by community Q&A. This is an educational, nonpartisan event open to the public. Our goal is simple: to help Maine voters understand how their elections work, from the people who run them. This public education session is being co-organized by Stronger Together Freeport and League of Women Voters of Maine with support from Greater Freeport Indivisible. Seating & RSVP Details: While walk-ins are warmly welcomed on the day of the event, we strongly encourage you to RSVP in advance. Pre-register here: https://bit.ly/Maine-elections Concert in Aid of Immigrant Legal Fund October 24The Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick and Woodfords Congregational Church of Portland are proud to announce a concert to benefit 'The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project '(ILAP) at 7 pm on Saturday, October 24th at the Woodfords Church. This eclectic and exciting concert will feature a wide variety of music, poetry, and dance presented by Maine artists from a diversity of cultural backgrounds and life experiences. Musical artists include Madeleine Hanna and the 4-person Jawahir Arabic Music Ensemble performing song and dance primarily from Lebanon; The Pihcintu Multinational Girl’s Choir along with the band Akiwacu, featuring the voices of children from 16 different countries impacted by war, famine, and turmoil, and Hadithi Abdulle, oud player and singer from Somalia, presenting music on the theme of resiliency and personal testimony. Poetry will be shared by Jeri Thériault, a Franco-American poet from Maine, and Richard Blanco (via video)—selected by President Obama as the fifth inaugural poet in U.S. history. Signed copies of his poetry suitable for framing will be available by donation. The evening will be topped off by the 'Singing Resistance' chapters of both Portland and Brunswick-Topsham who will lead songs developed in 2026 as resistance cries in the face of the Minneapolis ICE occupation. Pulling this all together will be our amazing emcee: Brunswick comedian, Mohamed Awale. Donations will be accepted at the door and go directly to ILAP as well as to presenting artists who have been impacted by recent immigration activity. ILAP is Maine's only statewide provider of free immigration legal services. ILAP advances justice for Maine's immigrants through free immigration legal services, community outreach, and advocacy. -Brunswick Area Indivisible As always, if you have an upcoming action, article, legislative issue or story that you want to go out on the Brunswick Area Indivisible email list, send it to communications.bai.me@gmail.com Have you missed a newsletter, want to look back, or want to share a past issue? The most recent 6+ newsletters can be found on the BAI Posts page. Want to support BAI? We welcome your time and talents. Contact communications.bai.me@gmail.com for volunteer opportunities. Donations are welcome at our meetings and online through ACT BLUE.
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