The battle on Election Day is between the voting booth and the couch, No Kings organizers say.
Demonstrators are expected to line Michigan intersections, pedestrian bridges, parks and more on Saturday, Oct. 17, a few weeks ahead of the midterm election on Nov. 3, in an effort to encourage people to make a plan to vote.
Multiple mass protests dubbed “No Kings Day” have taken place nationwide since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025, with the event name serving as an ode to their argument that Trump has increasingly turned toward authoritarianism and that democracy is under attack. Trump’s supporters have expressed indignation at such claims and a spokeswoman for the administration referred to complaints from prior protests as “lies.”
Thelatest iteration of No Kings is focused on early voting, with organizers hoping everyone leaves with a plan on when and where they will cast their ballot. More than 70 rallies will reportedly take place in Michigan and more than 2,000 have been announced nationwide.
Organizers in Michigan stated in a Zoom news conference Tuesday, Oct. 13, that the upcoming gatherings are nonpartisan. They also shared harsh words for both Trump and the state of the country.
Emily Busch of the Michigan Freedom Coalition raised concerns about everything from higher prices tied to the Iran war, to data centers, to federal investigations launched into Trump’s opponents, to the ramp-up in immigration enforcement.
“This is the critical moment to take back our power,” Busch said. “We have to say with one strong, united voice, ‘No.’ This is not who we are. Congress can end this madness. Your vote has the power to make them. This is still a democracy − if we are willing to fight for it.”
A study by the Pew Research Center indicated that even if all eligible voters did cast a ballot in 2024, Trump still would have won the presidency.
Asked about that and how it tied into organizers' thoughts going into the midterm, Eliza Sokoli, a student at Oakland Early College and leader of Teen Action Network, spoke up at the news conference. She noted that her birthday fell just short of giving her eligibility to vote.
“Since the 2024 election, there’s been a whole new group of youth that have turned 18, which means we have new voices that can vote, so while we're not endorsing particular candidates, we also shouldn’t be disenfranchising young voters who, for a lot of them, this 2026 election is going to be their first election,” Sokoli said.
Angela Davenport of the Voting Access for All Coalition sought to remind Michiganders that anyone not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison, but otherwise eligible, can vote.
Those with past felonies, those on probation and those on parole can vote, as can anyone sitting in a county jail while awaiting a court date or even awaiting their sentencing.
The crowds may serve as another reminder of some upcoming deadlines.
Come Oct. 20, just days after the No Kings gatherings, the deadline will have passed for Michiganders to register to vote online or by mail. Instead, they’ll have to go to their local clerk’s office with proof of residency.
Then on Oct. 24, one week after the No Kings events, early voting begins across the state and continues until Sunday, Nov. 1.
“Voting has never been more accessible than it is right now,” said Davenport. “… I’m here to remind us of the power that belongs to you and to each of us.”
For more on the protests planned across Michigan, click here.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Not registered to vote? No Kings protest to be deadline reminder
