Summoning the Spirits of Democracy

Halloween's origins predate Christianity, tracing back to an ancient Celtic celebration called Samhain, once observed in what is now Ireland, parts of France, and the United Kingdom. Like most ancient holidays, Samhain marked the seasonal transition from summer to winter, which is why Halloween still has dark, stormy vibes today. Participants believed that on the night of October 31, the portal between the realm of the living and of the dead opened, allowing lost souls to return to the human-occupied earth.

This ghostly meaning was associated with several aspects of life. This movement of spirits influenced agriculture (wreaking havoc on crops!) and enhanced the clairvoyant capacity of Celtic priests, the Druids, improving their ability to communicate with the dead and bring happier, warmer winters. The festivals also typically involved bonfires, at which the attendees wore costumes (yup!) and participated in sacrifices of crops and animals. Afterward, the community would use the bonfire to light their own hearths as a closing ceremony for summer and the initiation of winter. So, while death and fear were at the heart of Samhain, it also had a fun, celebratory side.

In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon after, All Saints' Day incorporated some of Samhain's traditions. The evening before was known as All Hallows' Eve and later became Halloween. Over time, while Halloween retained its spooky essence, it mostly morphed into a day of trick-or-treating, carving jack-o'-lanterns, festive gatherings, wearing costumes, and eating treats.

Because we don't share the Druids’ clairvoyance or their ability to communicate with the helpful dead, we will have to take it upon ourselves to bring about the change we want for a happier, if not warmer, winter this year. To that end, we should mark the end of October by continuing to break voter-turnout records, summoning the spirits of Democracy to create a major end-of-month surge at the polls. We need to build a massive BLUE WAVE to protect ourselves from the evil around us and remove the GOP demons from power.

October 31, 2026, may be looked back upon as the portal between our living democracy and its demise. Though we may wish and hope that All Saints Day 2026 marks a mass exorcism of evil from American politics, that won't happen without a major push from voters. We must bring the change we want to see.

Make sure you have a plan to vote by November 3, and encourage everyone who shares our Democratic values- family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers- to make a plan and cast their ballots as well. Our success will not be denied if Democrats come out to vote in overwhelming numbers. November 3, 2026, could be our last chance to take back our Democracy from the ghouls who now rule over America.