Let’s Catch Up: Vote, Listen, Watch, Write

With less than three weeks until Election Day, I have a lot to catch you up on! 

Ballots are out and it’s time to make a plan to vote. You can vote early any time through Election Day on November 3. I recommend taking your ballot back in person, if you can. If you haven’t gotten a ballot, check with your town clerk or the Vermont Voter Portal to register or update your address. You can register and vote the same day, early or on November 3. Make a plan and vote for Ruth Hardy & Hannah Sessions for Vermont Senate!

Vermont Library Day. Monday, October 19 is the very first Vermont Library Day! Designated as part of 2026 Act 127, Vermont Library Day was created to celebrate local libraries and all they do for our communities. Stop by your local library on Monday, or any time, to thank the librarians for their work to help so many people read, research, resource, or relax! I will be making the rounds to visit as many local libraries as I can.

I was the lead sponsor of Act 127 and two earlier bills that supported libraries and your freedom to read. For this work, I was named the 2026 Senator Patrick Leahy Library Advocate of the Year by the Vermont Library Association, an incredible honor for this library fan! Recently, I was also delighted to help the Salisbury Free Public Library celebrate its 125th birthday! You can read or watch my remarks on my website and check out a photo of the very cool book-shaped birthday cake!

MiddTerm Musings Podcast. There’s a lot to talk about this election season! Three weeks before Election Day, I sat down with Edie Huffard and Isaac Simonds, hosts of the Middlebury College student podcast, MiddTerm Musings, to talk about public service, policy issues, campaigning, student voting, and local good news. You can find the episode here or anywhere you get your podcasts. 

Candidate Forums. October is peak forum season! In case you’ve missed them, several are available to watch on local cable access stations. (Yay for local media!) Be sure to watch the Addison County Senate Candidate Forum as it presents a sharp contrast between the Democratic and Republican candidates, underscoring why Hannah Sessions and I will make a great team representing the Addison District. Be sure to watch the later portion of the forum which focuses on questions from the audience. You can also check out the Bristol Democrats Candidate Forum, which features the quartet of Democratic candidates (me, Hannah, Jeanne Albert, and Karen Lueders) running for Senate & House in Addison-4.

You can also watch the candidate forum hosted by the Building Bright Futures Early Childhood Council, a state council that works to improve the well-being of young children and families in Vermont. All local candidates were invited to this forum, but only the Democratic candidates showed up to participate. The same night, Hannah and I also attended the Addison County Sporting Club forum (which was not recorded), and the two Republican senate candidates were there. While Hannah & I will show up for all of our constituents, it’s clear that children & families are not a priority for our Republican opponents.

Homer Hulbert Memorial Dedication. Homer Hulbert was an early-20th century educator and Korean language & culture scholar who helped advance the Korean education system and advocate for Korea when it was the target of foreign hostility. He’s apparently a beloved historical figure in Korea, with roots here in Addison County. The Hulbert Memorial Society commissioned a significant memorial for him in his hometown of New Haven, which was unveiled at a wonderful ceremony earlier this month. To learn more, you can read or watch a video of my remarks at the ceremony and be sure to stop by the New Haven Town Green to see the beautiful new monument!

Letters to the Editor. Thank you to everyone who’s written a letter to the editor or Front Porch Forum post supporting me and Hannah. Not only do these letters get the word out about why people should vote for us, they have helped buoy me during a difficult campaign season. Read this fabulous letter from my colleagues in the Legislature, Reps. Robin Scheu and Jubilee McGill, saying, “Ruth is exactly the person you want on the other side of [the] process: tireless, thoughtful, principled and focused on getting a good outcome for Vermonters.” As well as Drew Darrow’s letter saying, “Ruth is an unwavering advocate for LGBTQ+ rights…Ruth continues to work to support and protect queer and trans Vermonters” and Hannaford Career Center leader, Nicole MacTavish’s letter saying: [W]hat I appreciate about Ruth’s approach: listen to a problem, understand how it affects students and work toward a practical solution.” Please keep the letters and posts coming – they are so helpful!

Finally, nominate a young person for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award, sponsored by the VT Secretary of State’s Office. Last year, local youth leader, Rafaela Botti, won the award, and it would be great to have a strong showing from the Addison District again this year. The deadline for nominations is November 13.

Thank you for reading and for all your support!

Photo Note: The header is a photo of all of the Addison County Democratic candidates at the Building Bright Futures early childhood policy forum.