Ahead of key deadlines for the upcoming midterm election, several No Kings demonstrations focused on driving voter turnout are expected along the Gulf Coast this weekend, including in downtown Sarasota.
The No Kings Day Vote Early event
, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, is a volunteer-organized initiative "designed to increase participation from all eligible voters," according to the registration website Mobilize."Power does not belong to billionaires, strongmen, or politicians who believe they are above accountability. Power belongs to the people, but only if we use it," event organizers wrote.
The downtown Sarasota No Kings Vote Early event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon and begins at the local Supervisor of Elections Office at 101 S. Washington
Blvd., near Ringling Boulevard and Payne Park.
Additional events in Sarasota and Manatee counties are also slated to take place Saturday. In Bradenton, the No Kings: Vote Early event is scheduled from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 5584 W. Cortez Road. There will also be a demonstration in Venice at Michael Biehl Park at 100 W. Tampa Ave. from 9 a.m. to noon.
The local events are part of more than 50 across the state of Florida, as reported by USA TODAY. Statewide organizers previously said these protests emphasize getting people to vote early, plan their voting and support election-protection efforts. They added this will be "the next step of reclaiming our power after a year of mass mobilizations."
"Families across the country are struggling to afford groceries, gas, electric bills, and the everyday cost of getting by. The decisions made by those in power shape our lives, our communities, and our future," organizers wrote on the website. "It's a day of nonpartisan voter participation, being in community with each other, and making sure every eligible voter has a plan, knows their options, and is ready to make their voice count."
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot be mailed to you is 5 p.m. Oct. 22. Early voting in Sarasota and Manatee counties runs Oct. 19 through Nov. 1. Election Day is Nov. 3, when voters casting ballots in person must use their assigned polling place. Vote-by-mail ballots must reach the supervisor of elections office by 7 p.m. that day.
Past No Kings rallies in Sarasota
In March, the Sarasota No Kings protest drew about 5,000 demonstrators downtown, many carrying signs critical of President Donald Trump. The rally involved throngs of protesters gathered at the intersections of Washington and Ringling boulevards, as well as Washington Boulevard and Main Street. The turnout was up from roughly 3,000 at the No Kings rally last October. An additional demonstration attracted nearly 1,000 to the University Town Center.
In October 2025, more than 7 million people participated in 2,700 protests. According to USA TODAY, the demonstrations were meant to celebrate free speech, the right to assemble and the First Amendment.
The demonstrations in March were the third major nationwide No Kings protest since June 2025, which coincided with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. Organizers say the day of action was intended to highlight what they describe as rising threats to families and communities.
Kendal Asbury is the real estate and development reporter for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Have an idea, tip or question about development? Send her an email at kasbury@usatodayco.com. Connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Instagram @wordsbykendal, and support local journalism by subscribing to the Herald-Tribune.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: No Kings protest against Trump returns to downtown Sarasota
