Despite rain and looming clouds, hundreds of people gathered in downtown Sarasota on Saturday morning, Oct. 17, as part of a No Kings event aimed at encouraging people to vote early.
Groups of people waving signs and American flags and ringing cowbells stood together outside the Supervisor of Elections Office inside the Sarasota Terrace building at the corner of Ringling and Washington boulevards. Collective shouts and chants could be heard from Main Street as residents gathered to show both their discontent with President Donald Trump and a desire for people to vote in the upcoming midterm election.
An officer with the Sarasota Police Department and an event organizer at the scene estimated attendance at 300 to 550 people.
However, the rainy weather
did not deter some Sarasota residents from showing up.
Gene Jones, president of Florida Veterans for Common Sense and a Sarasota resident, was one of the many people standing in front of the Sarasota Terrace building, waving a large American flag.
Jones, 81, served in the Air Force from 1965 to 1968, during the Vietnam War era. He told the Herald-Tribune that he, along with dozens more veterans, was out in the dreary weather to "encourage people to vote."
"We have serious problems with our democracy and voting is the only way to have our voice heard," Jones said.
Sarah Parker, executive director of Voices for Florida Fund, is a Sarasota resident who is involved in nationwide planning for No Kings events as a national coordinator with 50501. She told the Herald-Tribune ahead of the event that it was centered on prompting civic engagement and involvement during the early voting period.
"Voting is nonpartisan, we're advocating for everyone to be able to vote in a free, fair and safe election," Parker said. "I don't choose whose rights I fight for based on political beliefs. We want everyone's voice to be heard, no matter your political affiliation. If there are attacks on voting, there are personal attacks on all people."
According to the registration website Mobilize, the local Sarasota No Kings Vote Early event is similarly "designed to increase participation from all eligible voters." Parker said that the early voting period is significant because it allows greater flexibility and time to cast a ballot.
"As a mother, I know if I personally wait to vote during the general election, there may be a chance that you might not make it," Parker said. "It gives you weeks to ensure that your voice is heard."
The demonstration also focused on protesting what organizers characterize as "attacks on elections," Parker said.
While many people driving by honked their horns in solidarity with the protesters, some people shared their opposition to the demonstration by yelling statements like "vote red" and "go home" from their vehicles.
Chris Vercelli is another Sarasota resident who was present at the event, but for a different purpose. Equipped with a large speaker playing worship music and a cooler full of water bottles, Vercelli said he was there to offer protesters water and prayer and to share his faith with attendees.
Vercelli, who is part of a local evangelical organization called Awaken 941, said he has been to all three of the previous No Kings protests in Sarasota and did the same at a Trump rally several years back.
"I never let a big crowd go to waste," Vercelli said. "We're just here to share the love of God."
Additional No Kings events took place around Sarasota and Manatee counties on Saturday. In Bradenton, the No Kings Vote Early rally took place at 5584 W. Cortez Road, while Venice had a demonstration at Michael Biehl Park.
The local events are part of more than 50 across 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.
The deadline to request that a vote-by-mail ballot be mailed 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 must use their assigned polling place based on their residential address. Vote-by-mail ballots must reach the supervisor of elections office by 7 p.m. that day.
Prior 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 people to the University Town Center area.
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. The first took place in June 2025, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. Organizers said the March day of action was intended to highlight what they described 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 draws hundreds to downtown Sarasota despite rain
