By J.C. Bruce
This Saturday, the No Kings organizers are encouraging yet another “day of action” —this time focused on early voting. Rallies are planned nationwide, including here in Florida.
Every state organizes its voting deadlines differently. Some states have already begun early voting at the polls. In Florida, early voting is mandated by state law to begin at least by Oct. 24.
That said, each county’s Supervisor of Elections has the authority to begin a few days earlier than that, so it's worth checking your local office.
There’s more on how to do that and other election deadlines in the Tropic Press News2Use section, but here’s a quick link to find the contact info for your local elections office:
The theme of Saturday’s No Kings event, while styled as non-partisan, directly responds to threats of election interference by the Trump administration.
“Efforts to undermine trust in our elections and make it harder for people to be heard are happening across the country right now,” organizers say on their website. “Our democracy depends on every eligible voter having the freedom to participate without intimidation, interference, or barriers.”
Among the voter suppression schemes that Donald Trump and his allies have attempted were efforts to restrict and heavily regulate mail-in voting. Through an executive order issued earlier this year, Trump tried to force the Postal Service to screen ballots against newly compiled federal voter lists and reject any mail-in ballots from individuals deemed “ineligible”.
Additionally, he backed legislative efforts to limit absentee voting and repeatedly criticized the practice as fraudulent—even though he routinely votes by mail himself.
However, federal courts and the Supreme Court blocked his scheme from taking effect for the 2026 midterms, ruling that the administration had exceeded its executive authority.
But who knows what else he will try to pull. Which is why early voting is important. It can help ensure that if problems arise on Election Day, your vote is already cast. Voting early also helps those who do choose to vote on Nov. 3 by keeping lines shorter.
The rallies planned across the country vary. Some are private organizing events. Others are large demonstrations, much like the earlier No Kings protests that drew millions of people.
The No Kings website has a handy locator map to help you find an event near you. Here’s the link:
Organizers say more than 2,000 events are already scheduled around the country, with dozens here in the Sunshine State. They range from massive street marches to smaller get-out-the-vote efforts.
Note: If you plan to attend an event, Florida has strict laws for public assemblies. Protests are prohibited within 500 feet of cemeteries and houses of worship. Additionally, Florida's HALO law requires individuals to stay at least 25 feet away from first responders if requested. Organizers emphasize maintaining peaceful, nonviolent action and de-escalating potential confrontations with counter-protesters.
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A major goal of this newsletter is to reach as many Floridians as possible, raise interest in civic affairs, and encourage voting this coming November.
Every person you share this with is one more potential vote for change.
Please share and help us make Florida — and America — better for all of us.
Thanks.
J.C. Bruce
I have to say with all the brouhaha going on with mail in, I tried very hard to read all the rules (I am a mail in voter) and make sure everything was completely correct. Hopefully. I bypassed the postal service with a fax app, fax in were said to be legal. Not only that but I received timely and courteous answers to my questions from government branches and service organizations on voting, and telling me that my ballot was received. All good. At least for me.
I got my mail-in ballot. I sat down and researched the candidates and issues, filled in the ballot, put it in the security sleeve, put that in the envelope, signed the envelope, dated it, and dropped it in the mailbox. I got an email today informing me that my ballot had been received. My signature was verified, the same way that it would be verified if I had voted in person. The ballot is not linked to my name; only the security sleeve has a barcode that verifies that the voter is a valid voter and is entitled to the ballot in the envelope. Let's hope that we don't get a whirlwind of fraud accusations concerning the process.
Researching the candidates and issues takes time, so voting at home with internet access certainly makes sense.