By Karen Rubin, News & Photo Features, editor@news-photos-features.com
The “No Kings: Vote Early” events on October 17, 2026 saw the largest nationwide mobilization of voting in history, with more than 3,000 grassroots rallies and marches in cities, towns and villages big and small, focused on driving voter turnout, early voting participation, and election protection ahead of the November midterm elections.
In contrast to the three previous No Kings events which were structured as protests, rallies, marches and mass demonstrations and historic for marshalling more than eight million people on a single day to raise the to the threats to democracy posed by the lawless Trump administration and send a message of widespread opposition, this fourth No Kings event was meant as a day of action, “turning people power directly into ballots,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of the grassroots advocacy group Indivisible, which leads a coalition of hundreds of grassroots groups.
They are urging people to get registered, check their registration (to make sure voters have not been illegally purged or their polling places changed), make a plan to vote, and to vote early.
Co-founder Leah Greenberg stressed that casting ballots early helps neutralize administrative confusion (and deliberate chaos), block voter intimidation tactics, and make election results “too big to rig” (though it seems patently undemocratic that Democratic candidates have to win by five or more points, but MAGAs only need to win by a single vote to claim victory).
“Voting is my Superpower,” and “Grab ’em by the ballot,” read multiple posters. Other posters pointed to the disgust over the corruption of Trump, his family, donors and administration, opposition to the Iran War, and horror over ICE terror.
“While voting early is critical, it’s not where we’re ending. We need to make sure every vote is counted, every election is certified, and all the results are respected,” wrote Mary, Kelsey, of Moveon.org before the day was done.
People are encouraged to register, check their registration, vote early, help someone else vote, and to come out in overwhelming numbers – “too big to steal” – because they are mindful of all the active, aggressive, illegal efforts to suppress votes, purge voters, and manipulate the count.
This was the message at Washington Square Park in New York City.
“We live in a difficult time, a country soaked in greed, selfishness,” declared Eddie Glaude Jr. “We have to redeem the power of the people, our democracy from the hands of those who would have us bent and bowed. We must overwhelm the polls, turn out in record numbers. Disrupt the math that shaped redistricting, overwhelm their efforts to cheat by showing up in numbers never seen before. You are what they are afraid of.
“Ours isn’t the challenge of Jim Crow South, the call to beat back Nazism. Ours isn’t the moment to rise against capitalists putting down workers or government taking away women’s ability to control their bodies or their lives. Our challenge is our own. Each generation must find its feet – not imitate days of old – but fight for a better world. That’s our mission. The moral monsters will see what that mission is.”
No Kings Vote Action in Small Towns
No Kings voter actions were taking place In small hamlets across the country, like Great Neck, Long Island.
Nina Gordon, one of the organizers, citing the American Civil Liberties Union, told the gathering, “Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and the fundamental right upon which all our civil liberties rest.
“Right now, our freedom to vote is facing a coordinated attack on multiple fronts. The Trump administration and its allies at every level of government are abusing their power to sow chaos and doubt ahead of the midterms. They are weaponizing the federal government against voters: trying to restrict mail voting, demanding Americans’ sensitive voter data, using federal agents to intimidate communities, discouraging eligible voters from voting with deliberately confusing messages about voter eligibility, and threatening to interfere with how votes are cast, counted, and certified.
“But the Constitution is clear: No president has the power to unilaterally change election laws. And no official at any level can override the results. Our elections are run by state and local election officials under laws that bind every official, and the results are decided by the voters. Our democracy belongs to the people.
“Can an emergency order cancel an election? The presidency has limits. President Trump cannot cancel elections. His threats to do so are an attempt to suppress turnout by confusing and distracting voters. We can’t let the empty threats of the Trump administration and its allies distract us.”
Quoting Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum from Beacon for Democracy she said, “’No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.’
She added, “make a plan, take family and friends with you to vote, and if you see anything shady at the polls, call the Voter Protection Hotline. Vote EARLY and if you are an absentee voter, drop your ballot off at early voting or at the Board of elections.”
“Join local progressive organizations like Reach Out America, Bend the Arc, the Beacon for Democracy, and local Dem clubs.”
Insuring a Free and Fair Election
But the No Kings Coalition, led by Indivisible, is not done, and immediately announced next steps to insure a free and fair election, amidst clear signs that Trump and the MAGA Republicans are desperate to prevent a Blue Wave – through voter suppression, voter intimidation, interfering with mail-in ballots, playing games at polling places, and if that doesn’t work, refusing to accept election results and forcing hand recounts and vote cancellations. Trump is being urged by his allies (not that he needs urging) like Steve Bannon to declare martial law, a national emergency, the Insurrection Act, send ICE agents to polling places so his federal forces can seize voting machines and ballots, or block or intimidate voters as they try to vote.
It is significant that during the day, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta shut down the No Kings Instagram account – one of the tech bros that so loudly proclaimed their adoration of “free speech” in order to justify keeping anti-vaxxers, election deniers, and white supremacists posting dangerous click bait- yet another travesty that includes Elon Musk spending $256 million to buy elections for the Republicans (you are limited to $3,500 a candidate), and literally leaving Ukrainians defenseless against Russian bombs by throttling back Star Shield, even as people are worried about how they are reshaping civilization with AI, turning capitalism into oligarchy and kleptocracy and ending government by the people. Since money IS power, is it a good thing that a handful of billionaires control more wealth than half the rest of the population?
“Our elections are under attack. Across the country and at the national level, some leaders are working hard to undermine trust and weaken voting rights,” stated Moveon, part of the No Kings coalition. “Since the 2024 elections, lawmakers in 22 states have enacted 47 new laws restricting voting rights.
“No Kings is investing in the people and organizations closest to their communities, building lasting capacity that can turn moments of action into sustained power long after October 17 and Election Day. From local ballot counts to state and congressional certification, No Kings is collaborating with partners and organizing locally with members like you to ensure the will of the people is fully honored.”
“This is the United States of America,” Kelsey wrote. “We the people choose our leaders, not megadonors, politicians, or wannabe kings. The choices made by lawmakers affect our daily lives, which is why making plans to vote and protect our elections is critical. We will not allow authoritarians to overturn the will of the voters.
“Today was an incredibly powerful day for democracy. Early voting remains open for most of the country and Election Day is November 3. And together we’ll be ready to defend our votes.”
If you haven’t already, make a plan to vote (and to vote early, if that’s available in your state).Indivisible has created a new voting tool that will have all the information you need to cast your ballot, including: your local ballot drop box sites, early voting locations, and guidance on checking your voter registration, requesting a mail or absentee ballot, and connecting with your local election office. If you have voted, make sure to share this tool with your friends and neighbors!
Sign up to join its election defense force.Hands Off Our Vote is Indivisible’s largest election protection program ever. After signing up, you’ll receive volunteer opportunities and actions you can take to defend our elections no matter where you live.
“We know the Trump regime will try to undermine our right to vote and our right to decide who represents us. We also know this movement has the power, the determination, and the skills needed to stop them.”
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