New Year Porchlight Checklist (2026 Starts Here)

Written By Chase Lindsey

There’s a certain kind of tired you can’t sleep off.

It’s the tired that comes from watching politics feel like a machine you don’t control… while your real life still needs groceries, and rent, and a school system that works, and a community that doesn’t leave people behind. It’s the tired that comes from yelling into the void and wondering if anything actually changes.

So here’s what we’re doing in Anderson County going into 2026:

We’re not waiting for permission. We’re not waiting for a perfect candidate.
We’re not waiting for October.

We’re building the kind of local power that doesn’t depend on a billionaire, a consultant, or a national news cycle.

And if you’ve been looking for a sign to plug in again… this is it.

This is the New Year Porchlight Checklist. It’s simple on purpose. No guilt. No homework. Just a few clear ways to step back into community and help us start 2026 strong.

Pick two boxes. That’s it.
One “Belonging” box. One “Building” box.
We’ll help with the rest.

 

First: Pick your 2 lanes

Lane 1: Get in the loop (Belonging)

So you’re not hearing about things after they happen.

Lane 2: Put 3 dates on your calendar (Belonging)

One small commitment early beats panic later.

Lane 3: Join your neighborhood team (Building)

We organize by district because nobody should have to do this alone. Not in Anderson County. Not in 2026. Our district calendars are being finalized right now, and as soon as dates go live, they’ll be posted on our Events page

Here’s what’s already set:

Now pick your on-ramp:

  • ☐ Find your district + pick a meet-up (we’ll help you get plugged in): Find your district

  • ☐ Show up once. Meet real people. Leave with a plan and a couple names in your phone

Lane 4: Help recruit local candidates (Building)

Let’s be blunt: none of this matters if we don’t have candidates to back.

We’ve all seen the quality of some of our elected officials… and what it costs our community when the wrong people run unopposed. So here’s the open door, and it’s wider than people think:

If you care about Anderson County, you’re qualified to start the conversation.

2026 doesn’t start in October. It starts now — quietly, early, and serious… with regular people deciding they’re done watching from the sidelines.

  • ☐ Thinking about running (even “maybe”)? Raise your hand here

  • ☐ Know someone who should run? Send us their name: chair@andersondems.org

  • ☐ Save the dates: Qualifying deadline Feb 19 at noon / County Primary May 5, 2026

Lane 5: Help power the work (Building)

Our fundraising committee is working hard to make sure we’ve got the resources to hit some ambitious 2026 goals… and they’re kicking off the year with our first fundraiser:

The Super Bowl Weekend Meat Sale.

The truth is we can’t build a real county party on fumes. Not if we want to recruit candidates, support campaigns, print materials, run voter outreach, and show up everywhere we need to show up.

So if you’re looking for the easiest way to help right now… this is it.

Lane 6: Show up for neighbors (Belonging + Building)

This is what community looks like in practice. neighbor2NEIGHBOR

Lane 7: Find your people (Caucuses)

A county party shouldn’t feel like one big room where you’re supposed to fit in quietly.

We’re building caucuses so folks can connect around shared lived experience and shared priorities, and then bring that strength back into the wider work of the party.

If you’re part of a community, a network, a profession, a generation, a faith tradition, a veterans circle, a labor family, a parents group, a “new to politics” crew… you already know what a caucus is in practice. It’s just people finding each other on purpose and turning that into action.

Because the goal isn’t to “do politics harder.” It’s to do it together (with people who get you) and then show up stronger for the whole county.

 

The “Pick Two” rule (print this in your brain)

Pick one that helps you feel grounded and connected.
Pick one that helps us build capacity for 2026.

That’s how we stop treating politics like a seasonal hobby and start treating it like what it is: community defense.

Why this fits our Porchlight vibe

Because the whole point is to make it easier to find each other. A porchlight doesn’t fix the world. It just says: You’re not alone. This is where you can come in.

So if you’ve been watching from the sidelines… if you’ve been burned out… if you’ve been mad as hell but not sure what to do with it…

Don’t start with a grand gesture. Start with two boxes.

And if you want the easiest option of all: pick Lane 2. Put those dates on your calendar. Show up once. Let us do the rest.

We’re building this. As a community. Right here.

2026 starts at home.

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A stronger, more people-powered Anderson County Democrats begins here.