Lexington No Kings protest draws hundreds in effort to ‘activate people’ to vote early

LEXINGTON – Saturday’s chilly No Kings Rally in downtown Lexington looked similar to past demonstrations throughout President Donald Trump’s second term. A few hundred attendees carried signs decrying fascism and calling for the release of the Epstein files. Some wore costumes of the Statue of Liberty and bald eagles. Passing cars honked incessantly as a demonstration of support for the rally.

But Jen Krimm hopes the Saturday event is more productive than previous iterations.

“This No Kings is very different than the past, because what we’re trying to do is activate people,” she told the Kentucky Lantern.

“We want everybody to make a plan to go vote early. We want everybody to host an event to get their friends and families and neighbors and church groups and book clubs to go vote early.”

The League of Women Voters of Lexington, of which Krimm is the vice president, organized the No Kings rally alongside a number of community groups, including the NAACP, Progress Kentucky, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and KY120 United AFT.

Tables were set up throughout the event with informational resources on races up and down the ballot. Volunteers asked passersby if they needed help making a plan to vote.

Kentucky voters have several voting options besides in-person voting on Nov. 3. Voters can cast a ballot in-person without an excuse from Oct. 29-31. Voters with a valid excuse who cannot vote during those times can vote at their local county clerk’s office Oct. 21-23 and Oct. 26-28, or can request an absentee mail-in ballot before Oct. 20.

Krimm said she expects the midterm elections to have significant turnout. She thinks it’s best for voters who can do it, to vote early and avoid potentially long lines on Election Day.

Krimm also said organizations are encouraging folks to volunteer for election protection efforts and phone banks to spur voters to get to the polls.

“I think from all sides, we’re seeing that everyone is placing a lot of importance on this midterm election,” she said. “Folks have the chance to sign up for those different opportunities and get involved and activated – not just protest and go home.”

Attendee Lynne Flynn said she’s been talking regularly with people about the importance of voting this cycle.

“Most of my friends and neighbors are politically engaged,” Flynn said. “We talk a lot about what’s going on. They will vote.”

Attendee Laurie Fields told the Kentucky Lantern she thinks the election is vital to addressing “some serious problems in Kentucky” and “overwhelming” national issues.

“I’m very concerned about the treatment of trans people, the treatment of LGBTQ people,” Fields said. She hopes that Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District, an open seat being sought by candidates Zach Dembo, a Democrat, and Ralph Alvarado, a Republican, can be flipped blue.

The 6th Congressional seat has been held by Republican Andy Barr since 2012. Barr is vacating the seat as he runs for U.S. Senate against Democrat Charles Booker.

The 6th District seat, which contains the Democratic hotspot of Lexington but is surrounded by more Republican-leaning counties, is being watched closely by politicos as a bellwether race for how well Democrats are expected to do in the midterm elections nationwide.

“We can turn the page on that and have new people that better represent what I care about,” Fields went on.

Riley Kelly, a young Lexington resident, spent the day volunteering for Progress Kentucky to recruit attendees to canvas and sign postcards for Zach Dembo’s campaign. Kelly said he thinks events like Saturday’s No Kings rally can help keep engaged voters motivated and excited.

“I’ve gotten a ton of sign ups and people who are ready to work,” he said.

Signs of the times: Kentucky No Kings photo gallery

But when he’s knocked on doors and talked to voters who aren’t likely to come to an event like the No Kings rally, he’s hearing a lot of disaffection.

“There’s definitely voter fatigue,” Kelly said. “They’re burnt out and they don’t feel like giving any more mental energy towards the process.”

While the No Kings rally may not sway people who aren’t plugged into the news every day to get more involved, they can make sure those who are engaged double down.

“I feel like it definitely helps keep the people that were already motivated stay motivated. But I can definitely see people who were disaffected driving by, seeing this and going, ‘That’s just more of the same mess I don’t want to deal with.'”

“It cuts both ways,” Kelly said. “But for the core audience, which is the most important part, it keeps them motivated.”