Rally participant displays a “vote” sign on Saturday. Photo by Brenda Gonzalez

Ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, the No Kings Coalition organized a nationwide rally to encourage voting. Shasta Coalition and Redding Resistance teamed up to bring the effort local. They reported 1,450 participants at the event, a number Shasta Scout did not confirm.

No Kings is a movement that is organized to rise against “authoritarian power grabs,” according to the coalition’s national website. Rallies have taken place in response to the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement along with more general objections to President Donald Trump’s actions including the launch of military action in Iran.

The group’s biggest concern on Saturday was defending democracy at the ballot box. Data from the National Civic League states that typically only 15%-27% of eligible voters turnout locally.

“I’ve voted since I turned 18,” said Alexys, a Shasta resident who attended the rally. “I have to vote. I voted early. I did my mail-in ballot … I hope that this [rally] entices people.”

Similarly to local turnout numbers, California voters from 18-34 years old make up around 26% of registered voters. Young attendees on Saturday stressed their civic responsibility, with many saying they feel responsible for encouraging friends and family to be involved too.

“We got our [voter guide] books and we’re like, ‘these are really thick,’ said Kayla, a Shasta resident who is organizing a get-together with her friends to discuss the local election. “I feel like that there’s not a whole lot of [information] other than you know the signage around town that says like ‘vote no or vote yes.’”

“I think [the significance of the rally is] to show the younger people that your opinion and your vote matters. So you need to get out and vote for what you believe in to make a difference,” she said.

Although Saturday’s rally saw a decrease in attendance from past events, Cypress Ave was full of music, encouragement, and expressions of hope.

An attendee of the rally dances in the street. Photo by Brenda Gonzalez

“I feel like it’s kind of the only opportunity we have to kind of have any voice in this situation, and it kind of feels very defeating sometimes,” said Ashley, a Shasta resident. “When we come to these things, it feels like it’s just exciting to be around other people who share the same mindset.”

The event also prompted participation via a car parade and canned food drive. No counterprotesters were reported at the event.