No Kings Rally in Grand Rapids encourages voter turnout before midterms
Thousands of demonstrators gathered at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids on Saturday as part of a nationwide series of No Kings rallies focused on encouraging voter participation ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
The October 17 event marked the fourth in a series of coordinated demonstrations organized by the No Kings Coalition, following previous rallies in June 2025, October 2025, and March 2026. The coalition comprises hundreds of partner organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Black Voters Matter, and Indivisible.
Shift from protest to voter mobilization
With all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats being contested in the upcoming midterms, organizers shifted their focus from protest messaging to direct voter mobilization. Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, explained that while the first three No Kings protests were designed to send a message, the October event pivoted to focus on getting people to vote.
Kellie Krane, a Grand Rapids resident who attended all four rallies, said she came to encourage young people to participate in the political process.
"I'm concerned where this country is going and I hope to encourage the young people to actually look at politics and look at what our Constitution means and how important it is for them to get involved," Krane said.
Economic concerns drive attendance
Economic concerns drove many attendees to the rally at the 3.5-acre downtown plaza designed by Maya Lin. Bri Terry, who traveled from eastern Michigan to visit family, described how rising costs affect everyday decisions.
"The fact that I have to make choices on whether I can bring my kids to visit their grandma across the state because gas is so expensive, and if it's not gas, it's milk. If it's not milk, it's eggs," Terry said.Michigan gas prices averaged $4.66 per gallon for regular unleaded in mid-October 2026, up $1.73 from the previous year.
Terry emphasized the importance of voter participation.
"If we're going to take one message away from anything, just get out and vote, because we don't have the right to complain about politics if we don't get out and vote in the first place," she said.
Some attendees called for activism beyond the ballot box. Solomon M. said he hoped to see more action outside of voting as well, reflecting a broader discussion among participants about sustained civic engagement.
Concerns about turnout and engagement
Not all rally-goers were satisfied with the turnout. Tristan Dupuis expressed disappointment with the crowd size and worried about declining engagement.
"My worry is that this is getting normalized and people aren't taking this as seriously as they need to," Dupuis said.He encouraged participation across the political spectrum, saying
"Get out and vote, whether you're a Democrat or Republican, get out and vote."
Previous No Kings demonstrations drew significantly larger crowds. Organizers estimated that the March 2026 protests brought more than 8 million participants to over 3,300 events nationwide, while the October 2025 rallies drew an estimated 5 million to 7 million participants across 2,700 locations.
Nationwide demonstrations
According to Indivisible Greater Kalamazoo, more than 3,000 residents participated in their rally on North Drake Road. The No Kings Coalition reported that more than 3,000 demonstrations took place across all 50 states on Saturday.
The rallies occurred as Republicans entered the midterm elections holding narrow margins in both the House and Senate, making the contests particularly consequential for control of Congress. Two days before the demonstrations, the Department of Justice warned that local officials who process ballots submitted by suspected noncitizen voters risk criminal investigation and prosecution.
Rally organizers framed the gathering around early voting and civic participation, with attendees emphasizing the importance of making their voices heard through both voting and community involvement in the final weeks before the election.
