A “No Kings: Vote Early” rally, organized by Indivisible Grand Junction, drew approximately 300 people to the Historic Lowell School on Saturday, focusing on nonpartisan voter participation and education ahead of the November election. Attendees gathered at noon at the school, located just east of downtown Grand Junction, to learn about various state ballot measures and prepare to cast their votes early.
The event, while smaller in attendance than previous No Kings rallies in the city, was specifically billed as a “nonpartisan voter participation, education and community connection event.” Participants had access to tables offering information, both supporting and opposing, the various state ballot measures. The gathering also featured singing, drumming, and speeches from community members.
Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Bobbie Gross addressed the crowd, urging residents to vote early whenever feasible. Gross emphasized the local nature of election administration, stating, “Elections are run by your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors.” She highlighted the oath taken by election workers to conduct fair and accurate elections, warning that losing confidence in the election process is the “worst thing we can do.”
Later in the afternoon, around 2:45 p.m., members of the rally marched from the Historic Lowell School to the Mesa County elections office, located on the west side of downtown. Their destination was the official drop box outside the office, where many deposited their ballots for the upcoming November election.
Molly Heckman, representing Indivisible Grand Junction, explained the intention behind the rally's focus. "We wanted to do something a little different this time,” Heckman said. She noted that participating in democracy is among the most important actions, and voting is one of the simplest ways for people to do so, thus leading to the event's nonpartisan approach.
Despite the nonpartisan billing, many attendees carried signs expressing their opinions about the Trump administration. Grand Junction resident Rachel Cowan, for example, carried a sign referencing her brother, who died 21 years ago while serving in the U.S. Army, and advocating for exercising the right to vote. Cowan, who expressed unhappiness with the Trump administration and stated she lost her job in environmental remediation and restoration because of Trump, commented on the event’s focus. “I’ve been coming to these protests for a while. This one is amazing because it’s focusing on voting,” she said.
The rally was part of broader No Kings protests held across Colorado, which aim to help protect the integrity of the November election.
