'No Kings' event rallies Roseville to vote early
Hundreds gathered on Lexington Ave by Central Park
A couple hundred Roseville area community members lined Lexington Avenue at Central Park on October 17 to encourage people to vote in the 2026 Midterm Election.
The event was organized by the Indivisible organization as part of the nationwide series of "No Kings" protests—this time with a nonpartisan message to encourage voting.
"The idea is to get people out to vote. And also to vote early, if possible. Saves you from a long line and any other obstacles that might happen on Election Day. So that’s what we’re reminding people to do. It’s a nonpartisan thing. It’s not one party or another," said Gregg Gridley, one of the local organizers for the Roseville No Kings event.
The event brought together community members around a shared commitment to civic participation and the democratic process.
"This is a must. To get out the vote. People need to vote. People need to make a change and this is how I’m making my change," said rally goer and Roseville resident Darlene Guy.
Attendee motivations
We asked attendees why they were at this No Kings demonstration and why voting matters to them. Here's what people had to say:
“I was just explaining this to my 10-year-old son a little bit ago. I think it means that everybody needs to participate in democracy or only a few people get to make the rules, and that's not the way our country is supposed to be. You might not like all the rules, but as long as everybody participates and has a say in it, that's what our country is supposed to be about," said Tonya, who lives in Little Canada.
Evonne, a Roseville resident and a member of the League of Women Voters, said that voting is important to her because of the 75-year fight for women to get the right to vote.
"I think about how they were beaten, jailed, starved, shamed. All those horrible things they fought for so that I have a voice, the right to vote. And to help make decisions in the country I love," Evonne said.
She said she's talked to several men who said they were not going to vote, because it wouldn't make a difference.
"And I struggle with saying to them, yes, it does. We need your voice. We need your vote. There are races: such as mayoral, school board, etc., that have been decided by a handful of votes. So if more people would have voted, maybe the outcome would have been different. Voting does make a difference, not just at the national level, but also state and local elections," Evonne said.
Paul, from Falcon Heights, expressed similar sentiments.
"I mean, obviously, one vote doesn't make a difference, but if everyone thinks that, then you have no votes. Then you have nothing. Part of it is a civic obligation to be informed and to vote. So, it's not like a fun thing I get to do or don't have to do. It’s an obligation, a responsibility," Paul said.
Concerned citizens
Though not advocating for a particular political party, this No Kings rally attracted people concerned about the current direction of the country.
"I want us to protect democracy. We need to make our country safe for everyone. I want my grandchildren to grow up in a better place," said Sue Hendrickson, who came with her sister, her daughter, and son-in-law.
Hendrickson was just one of many grandparents at the demonstration.
"It's just too important this year," said Barbara Case. "We have grandchildren. That’s a big deal. When you think about what their world is going to be like if it keeps going this way, it makes me want to cry."
"If you feel like our country isn’t going in the right direction or you think things are getting worse, then you need to use your voice. This is an opportunity to that. To make sure there are people who are going to pass policies that actually help your community," said Renae Redenius, a Roseville resident and U.S. Military veteran.
Redenius protests weekly on the corner of Lexington and Larpenteur too. She wants to see change in how the federal government spends money.
"I feel like every year, the people in power just trip over themselves to give more money to the Department of Defense while cutting budgets everywhere else. What’s the point of defending all this if everything for everyone else is just getting worse. What are we protecting? We should invest in people," Redenius said.
Patricia Myhre, from Stillwater, was there to express support for ordinary people too.
"We need to show that the people are the ones that are important and not the Oligrarchs. We need to get big money out of politics," Myrhe said.
This has been a common theme in messaging from other No Kings protests across the country.
Annette came out to raise her voice in support of her fiancé, who was deported along with his family in July 2025.
"They kicked his door down at six in the morning, no warrants, didn’t identify themselves, guns drawn, arrested them. Brought them to jail for a couple of weeks. And then they were dropped off at the border with nothing to their name. No phone. No passport. No money. Just left to fend for themselves. I’m very passionate about this," Annette said.
She's been able to visit her fiancé in Mexico and talks to him every day. She said he's "one of the lucky ones" because he's now safe with family members, but it's been a difficult adjustment after living most of his life in the United States for the past sixteen years, she said.
Sharon, from Roseville, said that the right to vote is important to her because of her husband's history.
"My husband came from a communist country. He was born during World War II in a forced labor camp, so believe me, I know what the right to vote, to have a part of our government, to have a say in our communities means," Sharon said.
Ted Brand, of Roseville, said, "It's the only power we have, and so we've got to use it."
"It really is important that we have democracy and that this is the way we do it, right? We elect people who represent us," said Ted.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Early and absentee voting is already underway.
Editorial note: We chose to respect the preferences of those quoted who requested to be identified by first names only.
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