More than 75 “No Kings: Vote Early” gatherings will take place across Michigan this Saturday, with each focused on when, where and how to vote in local communities, organizers say.
Previous No Kings demonstrations have centered on opposing President Trump and his administration, but organizers said this weekend isn’t about protesting.
Instead, it’s a “day of nonpartisan voter participation,” according to the No Kings website.
While extra emphasis is being placed on the nonpartisan aspect of this weekend’s gatherings, Elizabeth Carmichael-Davis, with Indivisible Genesee Livingston and Oakland Warriors for the Great State of Michigan, said No Kings has always been a nonpartisan movement.
“It’s really never been partisan in a Democrat or Republican sense,” Carmichael-Davis said. “If it registers as against the current administration, that’s because of their authoritarian tendencies, not about their party politics.”
At a news conference announcing the Michigan events Tuesday, Christy McGillivray, Voters Not Politicians' executive director, said the movement is nonpartisan “much like the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and the right of every American citizen to vote in free and fair elections.”
For some organizers, such as Mari Douma with Indivisible Michigan 7th District, the nature of the No Kings: Parade to the Polls event in Lansing is best represented by the speakers.
“Even though we could ask some big names in politics to be our speakers to draw more attendees, we have chosen not to have partisan groups tabling at our event or speaking at our event,” Douma said. “Of course, everyone is welcomed and encouraged to attend, but we really want to keep the focus on the fact that we support the Constitution.”
While Democrats and liberal voters have made up most of the attendance at previous No Kings events, Douma said she hopes to draw people from all parties this weekend.
“There are a lot of Republicans across the nation that are really disenchanted with what this administration has done to their party,” she said. “They do not support this administration.”
Douma said there will likely still be anti-Trump protesters at the events, but the focus is on celebrating the right to vote.
Some gatherings, like the “Your Vote is Your Superpower” event in Fenton, will feature live music and fair games in addition to voting information.
Others, like in Howell, will have candidates for nonpartisan races there to answer community questions.
All No Kings: Vote Early events will provide information on voter registration, local proposals, early voting locations and more to attendees, regardless of their political party.
“It’s really focused on awareness of how the process works, not the outcome of the process," Carmichael-Davis said. "We don’t care which way you vote as long as you’re informed about that.”
(WKAR News has reached out to the Michigan and Ingham County Republican parties for comment.)
