As the United States approaches the midterm elections on November 3, a nationwide movement called “No Kings” mobilized thousands of events on October 17 to encourage early voter participation. The initiative, now in its fourth iteration since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, shifted its focus this year from protesting the Trump administration to actively promoting early voting.
Organizers reported more than 3,000 events scheduled across the country, ranging from music festivals and marches to family workshops and election observer training. In Los Angeles, a music festival drew crowds, while Washington, D.C., saw a march to the Supreme Court. Chicago hosted family-friendly workshops, and Atlanta held sessions training volunteers to observe the electoral process.
The “No Kings: Vote Early” campaign describes the day as "a day of nonpartisan voter participation" designed to unite communities around planning to vote early and ensuring all eligible voters understand their options. Deirdre Schleifing, chief political and advocacy officer of the American Civil Liberties Union, which partnered in the events, emphasized that the gatherings were intended as joyful celebrations of voting rights rather than political protests.
Most U.S. states permit voting before Election Day, a process that can begin several weeks in advance through mail-in ballots or early in-person voting. Advocates argue that voting early can help mitigate concerns about potential attempts by the Trump administration to challenge or undermine election results, particularly if Republicans lose control of Congress, as recent polls suggest may occur.
Alma Couvertie, who leads grassroots organizing for the democracy watchdog Common Cause, framed voting as an act imbued with power and communal responsibility. “This will be a celebration of our collective power,” she said, underscoring the movement’s intent to reclaim voting as a positive and powerful act.
Trump has publicly criticized mail-in voting, raising alarms among opponents worried that his administration might try to delegitimize the final election outcome. Supporters of the “No Kings” movement believe that a strong early voter turnout will make any disputes over election results untenable. “The best way to prevent any funny business from this administration after election day is to make sure that our turnout is massive, so clear and so overwhelming that our victory for democracy is impossible to question,” Couvertie added.
The “No Kings” early vote events reflect a broader effort by civil rights organizations and grassroots activists to bolster democratic participation and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process in a politically charged environment.