TWENTY-SIX MORE DAYS

We. Have. Thoughts. 

First, some wonderful news. Many of you may have met Gabrielle Soto. We first met her at our ICE Out Of Roseland protest. She’s been a tireless advocate for her husband Martin, who was taken by ICE while on a diaper run for their young son. Martin was imprisoned, first at Delaney Hall and then at the Elizabeth Detention Center. This week he was freed! Representatives Mejia and Menendez were there to welcome him home. Are we still weeping with joy? We are.

The question has hung around like a murky storm cloud for months now: Can Donald Trump slap restrictions on mail ballots in advance of the 2026 midterms?

On Monday a Supreme Court majority answered: NO.

NO, Trump can’t push through a rush-job of a rulebook designed to “undermine the states’ established vote-by-mail systems and throw our elections into chaos,” in the words of New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport.

YES, states now can get busy sending out mail-in ballots using the same processes they’ve always used. As they should.

It’s both sad and happy that our social media feeds are flooded with tributes to Dolly Parton. Everyone from Eminem to Gov. Sherrill posted personal, heartfelt messages. Our own Leslie Bockol posted a poignant Dolly quote, “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” 

Speaking of which, live your life so that you are beloved by the Muppets.

As 2026 began, we saw what was coming in NJ’s 11th district and we knew it was a year of change. We made it our mantra: Change is Happening. 

And our district has indeed changed. In these past ten years, we have gone from nepo-baby, don’t-rock-the-boat, double-speak Rodney Frelinghuysen to badass Navy helicopter pilot, mom-of-four Mikie Sherrill, to unbossed, unbought, minimum wage raising, grassroots warrior Analilia Mejia. This ain’t your grandpa’s 11th anymore.  

Another Supreme Court decision day, another day where Trump’s executive powers are confirmed and expanded. Yes, Vote by Mail survived this latest challenge, but a 5-4 decision? Not great. At all. But in hopeful news, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act just passed both houses of our state legislature and is on its way to the Governor’s desk.

Another Supreme Court decision day. Yes, birthright citizenship survived this latest challenge, but a 6-3/5-4 decision? We can’t rest, they will try again. In the words of Congresswoman Mejia, “While today's ruling offers a sigh of relief, the danger is still ever present. The fight to defend the 14th Amendment—rights like due process, and equal protection under the law—did not begin today, and it will not end today.”

We all know how important it is to exercise our constitutional rights, now more than ever. 

We know you vote. Your job for the next 36 hours – help your friends and neighbors make a plan to vote.

Still have your vote by mail ballot on your kitchen counter? Get it in a drop box NOW. If you plan to mail it, bring it directly to a post office and ask them to postmark it in front of you.

June 2nd Primary Election Voter Guide

The E.V.E. team is back! 

The Early Voting Evangelists are back and you know what we have to say. Vote! Vote EARLY. 

As we’ve been saying all year: Change is Happening! 

We are thrilled to announce that Parul Khemka will be joining the NJ 11th for Change Board of Directors, effective immediately. 

We knew four elections in one year was going to keep us busy and this week is one of those times! There’s a lot going on! We’ve got our brand new Congresswoman in district this week, holding multiple events and looking to talk to you, her constituents (sign up for tonight’s Town Hall here!) And even though she won the seat less than a month ago, Rep. Mejia is ALSO back on the campaign trail. As our endorsed candidate, NJ 11th for Change needs to be out there supporting her, starting with our Morristown Vote Chase phone bank this Thursday. 

There are lots of events over the next few days and weeks so get some rest and make sure you are drinking enough water. We’ve got work to do. 

A huge shout-out to the intrepid folks who joined us in the streets last week to protest ICE. Close to 150 of us turned out last Saturday in the pouring rain for our ICE Out of Roseland Rally —including a giant squirrel and a rainbow unicorn. It was wet. Really, really wet. But that didn’t stop us from chanting, dancing, singing, and crushing ice (literally). 

April 27, 2026

For immediate release

At the end of 2025, NJ 11th for Change adopted “Change is Happening” as our mantra for the coming year. We saw change in our state with Mikie Sherrill’s historic gubernatorial victory, and change in our district as we elected a new congressperson. With the elimination of “the line,” we saw change in how our state runs primary elections and an unprecedented number of candidates vying for the NJ 11 Democratic nomination. 

Our ICE Out of Roseland Rally is this weekend and we are MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION!

The response to the ICE Out of Roseland Rally has been great. So great in fact we are moving to a bigger location. 

Join us this Saturday, Apr 25, 2026 for our ICE Out of Roseland Rally now being held at 75 Eisenhower Parkway (corner of Eisenhower Pkwy and Eagle Rock Ave) from 11-1 to demand ICE Out of Roseland!