Alaskans join nationwide No Kings rally focused on getting out the vote

Alaskans across the state rallied on Saturday as part of a nationwide No Kings day of action to encourage early voting in the November elections and criticize the Trump administration. 

Early in person voting begins in many locations in Alaska on Monday. Organizers at the No Kings event in Juneau urged Alaskans to vote early, to remind friends and family to vote and to support candidates and ballot measures ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Demonstrators rally at a No Kings protest in Juneau on Oct. 17, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
Demonstrators rally at a No Kings protest in Juneau on Oct. 17, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

“We’ve been living for the last couple of years under a consolidating authoritarian regime. This is a very scary moment in the history of our country. We have the opportunity to turn the tides now,” said Anjuli Grantham, an organizer with Juneau for Democracy, referring to the Trump administration.

She was among dozens of Juneauites who braved the wind and rain, gathering at an intersection near the Juneau-Douglas bridge downtown. The crowd waved signs that encouraged voting and condemned the Trump administration, the U.S. war on Iran —which has driven fuel prices to record highs — and attacks on democratic rights. 

Lareena Goertz of Fairbanks said she was in town visiting family and decided to join the Juneau protest to express her outrage with the Trump administration. 

“I’m just sick and tired of the bullsh—, frankly. They just push and push and push and take and take and take from us, and refuse to respect our democracy and try to take our government apart,” she said. “And they’re making money hand over fist.”

Organizers in Juneau also urged continued public attention on the Alaska Division of Elections as ballots are counted and election results are certified. “Making sure that the will of the voters comes to fruition,” Grantham said.  

Thousands of events took place nationwide on Saturday, and social media posts and an online map showed No Kings events planned in at least 15 communities across Alaska, from Nome to Palmer and Valdez to Ketchikan.

Linda Guthrie, an organizer with the Valdez chapter of Indivisible, a national pro-democracy group, said about two dozen people rallied in downtown Valdez for the No Kings event to promote early voting and show support for local and statewide candidates running against Republicans this election. 

“So we came out to let people know how important it was to vote to save our democracy, and to vote for people here in Alaska that are going to support the Alaskan people,” she said. 

Residents of Valdez, a town of roughly 3,600 people on Prince William Sound, is among several rural communities that has participated in No Kings events throughout President Donald Trump’s second term, and Guthrie said it’s felt important to get out and protest.

“People are concerned about what’s happening in our country, and they’re concerned enough to get out, hold a sign up, and rally and speak up, stand up to make change,” she said. “They don’t like what’s happening.”

Roughly 10 people rallied in Nome for the No Kings get-out-the-vote event on Oct. 17, 2026, according to organizers. (Photo courtesy of Hannah Anderson)
Roughly 10 people rallied in Nome for the No Kings get-out-the-vote event on Oct. 17, 2026, according to organizers. (Photo courtesy of Hannah Anderson)

In the Northwest community of Nome, Hannah Anderson was one of the organizers of a small No Kings. “We just feel like we need to do our part,” she said. “This seems like a very pivotal point statewide and nationally for our country. So it, you know, kind of lights our fire and makes us interested in getting out there and urging people to make their voices heard.”

The No Kings events were peaceful, but there was at least one counterprotest. On Saturday in Fairbanks two counterprotesters were seen and one was waving a large Nazi flag. 

Fairbanks Democratic Sen. Scott Kawasaki said in an interview he saw the two men. He said the event organizers had planned security and directed participants to discourage any escalation. Some No Kings attendees in frog costumes asked the men with the flag to leave. 

“Two folks with skull masks on, completely visible, but just you couldn’t tell who they were, were walking through with a large Nazi flag on a large post, and basically wandering through the crowd,” he said. “I think, you know, most people were shocked. There was no altercation. I think eventually the frogs sort of chased them out. But you know, it was interesting.”

There was an event with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to support Republicans across town, and Kawasaki said organizers expected some Republican counterprotesters on Saturday. He said he only saw the two men counterprotesting, and could not confirm they were part of the Cruz event. 

Kawasaki said despite the counter-protesters’ show of intimidation, it was a positive event with hundreds of people coming out in downtown Fairbanks to encourage voting and also fundraise for the local soup kitchen. 

“That’s why when that sort of thing happens, we don’t want any sort of escalation,” Kawasaki said. “The No Kings protests and all of these rallies are peaceful rallies to talk about the important things, and the important things about voting and the important things about getting active and engaged and involved, and that’s exactly what they did.”

 

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