UPCOMING EVENTS
DATE & TIME | EVENT & LOCATION |
|---|---|
Ongoing / Wednesdays | Yoopers for Ukraine Bridge March. Every Wednesday at 5 PM. More info on the Yoopers for Ukraine Facebook page. |
September 15 | The MI Secretary of State’s office will register voters at the National Voter Registration Day Event at Michigan Tech. (More info here.) |
September 21 | HCDP’s first ever In It to Win It fundraiser at Carmelitas in Calumet @ 6 PM. Tickets on sale now. (see item below for more info) |
September 23 | HCDP Fall Highway Clean Up (see item below for more info) |
Events featured in our newsletter can also be found on the Events Calendar on the main page of our website.
FALL ELECTION DATES
DATE | WHAT’S HAPPENING |
|---|---|
September 24 | Absentee ballots and drop boxes become available |
October 19 | Last day to register to vote online or by mail (registration in person at your local clerk’s office is still available up to and including Election Day.) |
October 24 | Early in-person voting begins. The early voting site for all Houghton County precincts is the Houghton County Building at 19741 W. Sharon Avenue. |
November 3 | Election Day |
PARTY NEWS
IN IT TO WIN IT FUNDRAISER NEXT MONDAY!
WE ARE HOSTING OUR FIRST EVER IN IT TO WIN IT FUNDRAISER & SUPPORT OUR SLATE DINNER!!
Join us for this taco bar dinner at Carmelitas in Calumet on September 21. We’re looking forward to an evening of camaraderie and support for our fall slate of candidates.
Together we will make a difference as we fight to elect the candidates who will bring needed change to our state and country — candidates who share our democratic values.
If you’re unable to attend please consider a donation to help the HCDP get out the vote and to support our local candidates.
Tickets are on sale now. Scan the QR code in the flyer or click the button below to get yours!
NEW: RSVP by phone and then pay by cash or check at the door at Carmelitas! Call or text Nancy Verive by 9/20/26 to be added to the guest list! 812-573-1403
WE SUPPORT THE MILLAGE FOR NEW COUNTY JAIL
At our September meeting the membership of the HCDP endorsed the Millage for the jail that will be on the November ballot. A jail is never anyone's favorite priority for government spending but it's a necessary expense. In our letter to the County Board, we express appreciation for the long process of public input that was undertaken all year, which heard citizen concerns and made commitments on the spending of the millage money.
That letter is attached here - it's long and detailed, and we want to thank Justin LaCosse, our representative on the Jail Committee, for putting it together. It answers a lot of the objections you might hear about the millage, like "why so long" (it keeps the monthly cost per household down to just $5 on average) and "couldn't we sell something to raise the money" (no, the County mainly owns stuff we really need, so our saleable assets don't raise that much). Take a look if you'd like to see the numbers for yourself.
A NOTE FROM THE CHAIR
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS - WE’RE EXPANDING THE MAP!
Donald Trump is so far underwater he can't see daylight. Gas is $4 a gallon, we're in a tariff war with Canada, and he sits on a golden toilet while the ones on US Navy destroyers are busted. Congressional Republicans have enabled him every step of the way, and Michigan's state-level Democrats have been fighting him the same distance. Districts all across the country are in Play. Our door knocking turfs used to be mainly Dems who needed to be nudged a few times to get to the ballot box. Now we're getting turfs that include persuadable independents - likely to vote, but up for grabs.
Getting to those voters means we need shoes on streets, hands stuffing lit into bags, and other volunteer roles. Our main need right now is Saturdays and Sundays at noon, sending people out to knock doors.
PLEASE FILL OUT THE VOLUNTEER FORM ON OUR WEBSITE, OR COME TO THE OFFICE (323 QUINCY ST IN HANCOCK) AND SIGN UP ON OUR LIST THERE, OR JUST EMAIL US AT [email protected].
And hey, if you think you're willing but maybe have just one round in you this year, sign up for the weekend before the election. Yeah, it's Halloween, but we'll be putting together a last blast before November 3. If you can do more before then, though, we'd love to have you.
HERE’S A FEW VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES - GET OUT THE VOTE WITH MDP ONE TEAM
Door knocking and phone banking continue in cooperation with the Michigan Dems’ One Team. Turn out is even more important this year than in previous years, and while pundits can make predictions for a “blue wave”, it won’t happen on Election Day without all of us working to Get Out the Vote! Join the door knocking and phone banking efforts and encourage your friends and family to vote!!
From the One Team:
DOOR KNOCKING IN HOUGHTON COUNTY
This fall, Michigan picks a new Governor, a new U.S. Senator…and the doors we knock now are how we win in November…
Whether this is your first time knocking doors or you're a seasoned pro, we'll provide plenty of training and all the materials you need to feel comfortable and confident. You'll get a walk list, a quick run-through of the script, and everything you need to hit the doors.
PHONE BANKING (VIRTUALLY)
With over 300,000 people in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, we have the capacity to swing the results of this November's election…
So this is our invitation to you, our northern friends, to aid us in this endeavor. If you have a day, an hour, and the desire to help us build a brighter tomorrow, then we have a place for you. Six days a week we're making calls to folks across the UP and the rest of Northern Michigan.
HIGHWAY CLEAN UP SEPTEMBER 23
COME JOIN US FOR THE FALL HIGHWAY CLEAN UP!
Join us Wednesday, September 23rd as the Houghton County Dems go out on the road again for our fall highway clean up. We’ll be cleaning our stretch of highway as part of the Adopt-A-Highway program — M-26 from just past Goat Hill Rd heading out of Ripley, and on through to Dollar Bay.
Join us Wednesday, September 23rd at 5:30 PM. (Rain Date is the following Wednesday, September 30th). Parking is available at the Adopt-A-Highway sign just past Goat Hill Rd. We provide gloves, safety vests and bags.
STOP BY - THE OFFICE IS OPEN!
Now open four days a week!
Stop by to pick up yard signs and campaign literature, or just to say hello!
CAMPAIGN NEWS
WHAT’S ON YOUR BALLOT?
CANDIDATE SLATE, JUDICIAL ENDORSEMENTS & BALLOT PROPOSAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Every election we put together a slate of Democratic candidates, nonpartisan judicial recommendations and “Vote YES” or “Vote NO” recommendations on ballot proposals.
You can find this year’s recommendations on our web page, or just click here (or on the image below) to get a two page PDF you can print out to share with friends and family or to take with you to the ballot box.
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BALLOT PROPOSALS
Below are summaries and comments on the proposals on countywide ballots this year.
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County Jail Proposal
See the item above - we support the millage proposal for the county jail and recommend you vote YES.
School Millage Proposals
The Copper Country Intermediate School District has a millage proposal on Houghton, Baraga and Keweenaw County ballots — HCDP recommends you vote yes.
There is also at least one local school district millage proposal on specific precinct ballots in the county as well. While the Houghton County Dems support strong local public education, we are not recommending one way or the other on local school district proposals.
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Statewide Ballot Proposals
HCDP recommends you vote no on the Constitutional Convention Proposal: Proposal 2026-1 is the question of whether the state should hold a Constitutional Convention. This proposal automatically appears on the ballot every 16 years, and this is one of those years. It has appeared before voters three times since the current Michigan constitution was adopted in 1963, and has been soundly defeated each time. This time around both Democratic and Republican candidates are almost unanimous in saying they do not favor holding a new convention.
HCDP recommends you vote yes on the Money Out of Politics Proposal: Proposal 2026-2, also known as the Michigan Money Out of Politics proposal, would prohibit certain organizations and individuals — such as regulated electric and gas utilities, contractors with over $250,000 annually in government contracts, and people and organizations with substantial connections to those utilities or contractors — from making direct or indirect contributions to those who run for office, and also provide further regulations for campaign finance laws and spending on political communications.
SUPPORT YOUR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES
Can’t door knock or phone bank this fall? Your monetary donation to a candidate can make a big difference in getting out the vote. Below are links to the ActBlue fundraising pages of our 2026 Michigan Democratic candidates. Please consider a donation:
Callie Barr for US House
Abdul El-Sayed for US Senate
LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS
TUE SEP 15
The Laurium Village Council meets tonight at 6 PM in the Council Chambers of the Town Hall. More info (including the GoTo Meeting link to attend virtually) can be found on the Village Council's web page.
The Calumet Village Council meets tonight at 6:00 PM in the Village Council Chambers. More information (including the Zoom link to attend virtually) can be found on the Village’s News & Events web page.
WED SEP 16
The Hancock City Council meets at 6 PM in the Hancock City Hall Council Chambers.
A FULL LISTING OF ALL LOCAL CITY, VILLAGE AND TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENTS, WITH CONTACT INFORMATION, AND (WHERE AVAILABLE) TIMING OF LOCAL COUNCIL MEETINGS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE.
SUBMIT A RESOLUTION
This newsletter is paid for with regulated funds by the Houghton County Democratic Party, and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.
Contact us by email at [email protected] or by text or voicemail at 906-523-1233