Government-Politics
The midterms are now less than a month away and both sides are gearing up for a battle that will, without a doubt, change the course of this nation.
If Republicans retain control of the House and Senate, the country will proceed with the Trump administration’s agenda. If the Democrats win either the House or the Senate, even Republicans admit the Trump administration’s policies and objectives will essentially grind to a halt.
To help promote the importance of the upcoming election and to help get everyone registered to vote and urge people to vote early, Indivisible Park County is organizing two No Kings: Vote Early rallies on Saturday, October 17th.
Both rallies will be held from noon to 1 pm. One will be in Livingston at 5th and Park streets. The other will be in Gardiner at the intersection of Hwy 89 and Jardine Rd. These rallies are part of a national mobilization organized by the No Kings Coalition, which includes Indivisible National and many other organizations. Similar rallies are being held across the country.
“These rallies will be different from all those we’ve held in the past,” said organizer Mary Strickroth. “The Vote Early Rally is not a protest. It is a strictly nonpartisan rally. We’ll be promoting voting, early voting and getting people registered to vote. We want everyone to vote.”
“We promote voting early because it is critical,” Strickroth said. “By voting early, we can identify problems while there’s still time to fix them, turning the election into a season of voting rather than a single day.”
Three things make the two Park County rallies different from past rallies. First, the rallies will be nonpartisan: no candidate or ballot initiative will be promoted.
Second, each rally will include information on important voting topics, such as why voting matters, registering to vote, checking your registration, how to vote early, and tracking your vote. Volunteers will be available to answer questions.
And third, the signs people bring will be different. Everyone is urged to come with signs about making your voice heard, protecting our democracy, voting, and voting early.
“We hope that folks who attend will bring a few friends, neighbors, or family members,” Strickroth said. “Let’s take an hour to use our power and help create the biggest early voter turnout in US history.”
In the US Senate, 35 seats are up for election, including here in Montana where Senator Steve Daines is not seeking re-election. Overall, the Republicans have a 53-47 seat majority. Republicans are favored to retain control of the Senate. To regain control, Democrats need to flip four Republican-held seats without losing any of their own.
In the House of Representatives, as always, all 435 House seats are up for election. Republicans currently have a 218-214 majority, and Democrats are favored to regain control.
“A lot of people think their vote doesn’t matter,” said organizer Rick Lamplugh, “but nothing could be further from the truth. A lot of elections are very close – especially at the local and state level – so we’re urging everyone to get registered and vote early. And if you can’t vote early, get to the polls on Tuesday, November 3rd.”
Lamplugh reminded everyone planning to attend the October 17th rally that a core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action and no civil disobedience.
“We ask all participants to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events,” Lamplugh said. “Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to our events.”