On Sunday November 1, the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie hosted a plethora of speakers for a Get Out the Vote rally, just two days before midterm elections. Speeches from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes, Congressman Pat Ryan, State Senator Michele Hinchey, and many more were accompanied by musical performances from the Hudson Valley’s own Natalie Merchant, and the Felice Brothers.
The Hudson Valley brought an impressive turnout. It was first-come-first-serve, with free pre-registration required. Doors opened at 5:00, and by 4:30, the line was already past Darkside Records, and eventually reached down to Academy Street. (For non-locals, that’s nearly a quarter-mile.) Because the Bardavon can only hold a bit less than 1,000 attendees, additional seating was available in the MJN Convention Center, where the event was broadcast.
The chair of the Dutchess County Legislature, Yvette Valdés Smith, was the emcee for the night. After making an opening speech, she welcomed Natalie Merchant to the stage. Merchant performed a polarizing piano ballad, before standing up and asking for some audience participation. She sang a number of rounds of the Civil Rights-era freedom song “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round.” She then asked the audience to call out topics that they “wouldn’t let turn them ‘round.” (One voice called out “Donald Trump!” to which Merchant recoiled, and joked that they wouldn’t sing that one because she “can’t say his name in public.” They chose Central Hudson as the topic instead.)
After Merchant’s exit, the next speaker, Sarahana Shrestha was welcomed to the stage. Shrestha is running for reelection as an Assembly member for District 103, which consists of upper Dutchess County and much of Ulster County. Shortly after, State Senator Michelle Hinchey entered the stage. Hinchey is also seeking reelection as State Senator in District 41, consisting of parts of Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia, and Greene County. Both speakers emphasized the importance of their reelection, reiterating the work they’ve done and the work they intend to continue.
One particularly prominent race in the Hudson Valley this midterm year is State Senate in District 39. The next speaker, Lisa Kaul, is seeking to oust popular 20-year politician Rob Rolison for this position. This State Senate position serves lower Dutchess, upper Orange, and part of Putnam counties. Kaul noted that, while her opponent is a nice person, today’s political climate requires you to be more than just nice in order to create change. Some of her main points included keeping ICE out of the area and dismantling Central Hudson.
A surprise speaker then took the stage: New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. She encouraged the audience to support the speakers who are up for election, explaining the change they could make if the red State Senate seats were to flip.
Following came a performance from the Felice Brothers. The band, consisting of Ian and James Felice, were born and raised in the Catskills, and recently premiered their album documentary Lunatic Dreamers at the Woodstock Film Festival. They took the stage at the rally to share their fittingly folky Americana music with the audience. Their three-song set closed with “Life in the Dark,” which Ian dedicated to everyone who’s currently in hiding, for whatever the reason may be.
The next speaker was yet another special guest, not previously announced on the event’s flyer. New York Attorney General Letitia James was welcomed to the podium with a standing ovation that lasted nearly a minute. James delivered a poignant speech detailing the lives of New Yorkers that have spoken to her and pleaded for help. She stated that she plans to keep standing in the way of the country’s administration, and that she will “sue the bastards every time.” After her speech, which constituted multiple rounds of applause, she welcomed perhaps the night’s most prominent guest.
New York City’s beloved Congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio Cortes, was welcomed with yet another standing ovation. She began her speech, and was quickly met with cheers from the crowd calling for her to run for president. She emphasized the importance of immigrants, people of color, and diversity. AOC made it clear that she intends to send Washington D.C. “a message about the America we live in,” meaning, one that seeks to be free from corruption, divisiveness, and hate.
The night closed out with a speech from the event’s organizer, Congressional Representative Pat Ryan. Ryan is also seeking reelection, for Congressional District 18, comprising portions of Dutchess, Ulster, and Orange Counties. Ryan was first elected to Congress during a special election in 2022, filling the spot left by Antonio Delgado. Ryan thanked the previous speakers for their participation in the event, and made a compelling speech of his own. He stated that while the party has become good at defending themselves, each other, and their values, they are “damn sick of being on defense.” He encouraged the hope that they can finally be on the offense—a change that can be made on Tuesday.
After two energetic hours of speakers, music, and community, the rally came to an end. The audience exited the Bardavon with an overwhelming sense of hope for the near future. Election day is Tuesday November 3. Dutchess, Ulster, and Orange County polling sites are open from 6:00am-9:00pm. Find your polling place here.
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