Porchlight: January Is Where We Build the Year
January doesn’t feel glamorous. It’s cold. It’s dark early. Everyone’s tired. And that’s exactly why it matters.
Because in a place like Anderson County, “winning” is rarely some big cinematic moment. It’s the unsexy stuff: showing up to the meeting, learning the calendar, watching the people who run elections, and doing the boring fundraising that keeps the lights on.
That’s what Porchlight is for. A signal in the dark: we’re here… and we’re not doing this alone.
Here’s what’s happening this month, and how to plug in.
The January game plan (simple and real)
Show up.
District meetings aren’t “internal party stuff.” They’re where neighbors become the backbone of our party.Fund the work.
We’re not billionaire-funded. We’re casserole-funded. (And yes… smoked-shoulder-funded.)Watch the referees.
If you care about democracy, you don’t just vote. You pay attention to who sets the rules and how the game is run.
Dates to put on your calendar right now
District Meetings (your nearest on-ramp)
Thu, Jan 8 (5:30–6:30 PM) — District 6 Dems Meeting (HQ)
Mon, Jan 12 (5:30–7:00 PM) — District 8 Dems Meeting (HQ)
Tue, Jan 13 (6:00–7:00 PM) — Districts 4 & 5 Joint Meeting (Fiesta Charra)
Tue, Jan 27 (6:00–7:00 PM) — District 7 Dems Meeting (HQ)
What to expect: normal people, real conversation, and practical next steps. No audition. No purity test. Just a room where you can finally stop doomscrolling and start moving.
HQ hours this week: Monday & Wednesday (12–4 PM), Friday (1–5 PM), and Saturday (12–2 PM).
Swing by, grab a coffee, and say hey. 14 Kentucky Ave, Oak Ridge.
Book Club (for people who want to understand what’s happening)
Thu, Jan 15 (2:00–3:00 PM) — Non-Fiction Book Club (HQ)
It’s explicitly come-as-you-are: no pressure to finish the whole book. January’s book is "Lawless", by Leah Litman
Election Commission Meeting Watch (this is what civic muscle looks like)
Thu, Jan 15 (4:00–5:00 PM) — Election Commission Meeting Watch: Who Runs Elections in Anderson County? (Courthouse)
We’re going together. We’ll sit together, take notes, and treat election oversight like the public responsibility it is.
Run for Something Real (yes, you)
People across Anderson County are picking up petitions right now to run for public office.
And that should hit you in the gut a little, because local office is where your daily life gets decided. Not in a metaphorical “politics matters” way. In a your kid’s school way. In a your road, your taxes, your hospital, your zoning, your water bill, your library way.
And the honest truth is when petition season opens, you get a mix.
You get good people. Serious people. Neighbors who actually care and want to do the work.
And you get… the other kind. The folks who treat power like a hobby. The loudest people in the room. The ones who show up with an agenda and a grievance and think government is a weapon.
So if you’ve ever said any of these:
“Why does it feel like the same names run everything?”
“How did that person end up in charge?”
“Somebody needs to do something.”
This is the part where we gently remind you… you are somebody.
Running for local office isn’t reserved for retirees with endless free time or people with fancy connections. It’s for parents. Teachers. Working folks. People who know what it costs to live here and what it means to take care of a community.
If you’re even thinking about it, reach out to us (click the link). We’ll talk it through, help you understand the process, and connect you with what you need to get started.
Because the ballot is being written right now, whether you participate or not.
And we’d rather have your name on it than leave it to the loudest people in the room.
The Meat Sale
(aka: “how we keep the lights on”)
Order window: Dec 29 → Jan 31 (order deadline is Sat, Jan 31 at 11:59 PM)
We’re taking pre-orders for Super Bowl weekend: slow-smoked, bone-in pork shoulders, cooked low and slow, ready for you to heat/shred/slice. Choose your rub: Hot or Original.
This is one of those fundraisers that actually works because it’s useful. If you want to support local organizing and feed people you love… this is it.
Election deadlines you should know (and why we’re watching)
The Anderson County Election Commission has the county primary set for May 5, 2026.
Key dates:
Dec 22, 2025 — was the first day to pick up nominating petitions for the August Election
Feb 19, 2026 (noon) — qualifying deadline for the August Election
Apr 15–30, 2026 — early voting for the May Primary
Local elections are where power gets built or lost. If we want better schools, better county governance, and a future that isn’t decided by the loudest extremists in the room, then we have to treat these dates like they matter… because they do.
If you’re new, here’s your easiest next step
Pick one:
Come to your district meeting (you’ll leave with a plan).
Come to the Election Commission Watch (you’ll learn who runs the system).
Grab a meat sale order and forward the link to 3 friends (you’ll fund the work).
That’s it. One action. One entry point. One reason to stop feeling like you’re alone in it.
