James Mannix Burke lives in York. He recently served as a U.S. Senate page.

“Listen, my children, and you shall hear

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Portland’s own poet, gave America that line. Paul Revere’s ride is more than a patriotic story. It is a warning about acting with vigilance and courage before it is too late.

Today, that warning is as important as ever before.

Across the country, the signs are everywhere. In Congress, the interests of the wealthiest and most powerful are at the forefront. We see it on both sides of the aisle. Corruption is no longer hidden; it is routine. Districts are being gerrymandered to consolidate power. Lawmakers continue to profit from insider knowledge, stalling the recent congressional stock trading ban despite public support.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a massive tax and spending package, rewarded corporate donors and left families with increased costs. Now, the federal government has shut down after Congress failed to agree on a budget, leaving thousands unpaid. Each crisis reveals the same idea: Those in power protect their best interests, leaving ordinary citizens behind.

If Washington will not sound the alarm, we can. Maine can be the rider of our generation, warning the nation before it is too late.

This November, Mainers will vote on two ballot questions that are at the core of defending our democracy.

Question 1 would make it harder for many Mainers to vote by reducing absentee voting days, removing ongoing absentee status for seniors and people with disabilities as well as requiring photo identification. These restrictions would not make elections more secure; they would make them less accessible.

Question 2 asks whether courts should have the power to temporarily restrict firearm access when someone poses a clear danger to themselves or others. This, too, has great implications on our democracy, and is a limited measure that protects safety and due process.

Together, these questions test whether Maine continues to trust its citizens and can set the precedent for regulation like this nationwide.

Looking ahead, next year’s governor and Senate elections will decide who represents Maine’s values in Washington and at home. Our next governor will influence the direction of health care, education and environmental policy. The Senate race will decide if Mainers want to send independent voices to Washington or fall into a partisan divide.

These contests are about more than party lines. They will show whether the government can still serve people who live and work here, or if it has become a system closed to us. Mainers have always believed in fairness, progress and civic duty. Will we prove this again?

Longfellow ended Paul Revere’s ride with a promise that the riders’ call would echo “in the hour of darkness, and peril and need.” That hour has returned. The muskets and beating hoofs are gone, but the warning rides on.

The threat now is not of an invading army, but of a government that forgets who it serves. We no longer answer the call with riders and muskets, but with ballots and advocacy. The only question is if the alarm will be sounded this time.