A No Kings Vote Early rally will be held in downtown Minneapolis on Saturday 17 October, with organisers urging residents to make a plan to participate in Minnesota’s midterm elections.
The event will take place at The Commons, at 425 Portland Avenue South, from 2pm to 5pm. It is being organised by Indivisible Twin Cities, MN50501, Women’s March Minnesota and the Minnesota AFL-CIO.
Organisers say the gathering will feature live music, speakers on voting rights, family activities, food trucks and information about early and absentee voting. The event is intended to promote non-partisan voter participation rather than support a particular candidate or party.
No Kings Vote Early rally will not include a march
Unlike earlier No Kings demonstrations, the Minneapolis event will not include a march. Organisers have described it as a rally and community festival focused on helping eligible voters understand their options before the 3 November election.
No ballots will be cast at The Commons and there will be no polling station at the event. However, Minnesota’s Secretary of State says early voting for the general election begins on Friday 16 October, the day before the rally.
The event’s advertised performers include Sounds of Blackness, which is scheduled to perform its voting anthem “Get Off Ya Hands Vote”, as well as Americana group Turn Turn Turn and singer-songwriter Terry Walsh of the Belfast Cowboys.
Organisers say trained marshals and a safety plan will be in place. They have asked attendees to act lawfully, avoid confrontation and not bring weapons, including items that could be used as weapons. Signs are welcome, but signs mounted on sticks have been discouraged.
The rally marks a shift in emphasis for the No Kings movement in Minnesota. A previous protest at the state Capitol in St Paul in March drew more than 100,000 people, according to earlier reports, as demonstrators opposed President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies.
Indivisible Twin Cities says the latest event is part of a wider series of No Kings: Vote Early gatherings taking place across the United States on 17 October. The organisers say the aim is to turn public participation in the movement into voter participation ahead of the midterm elections.
People travelling to downtown Minneapolis have also been warned of disruption on the roads. Eastbound I-394 between I-94 and downtown will be closed from 10pm on Friday 16 October until 5am on Monday 19 October, with several downtown exit ramps also affected.
The 2026 Minnesota general election will include races for US senator, US representative, governor and lieutenant governor, as well as state and local offices. Early voting in person is due to remain available until Monday 2 November, with Election Day taking place on Tuesday 3 November.
