The event began at Grant Park and proceeded to the county tabulation center, where many participants dropped off completed ballots. Organizers framed the march as both a protest against authoritarianism and a push for people to take part in the coming midterm elections.

Raquel Terán, executive director of Proyecto Progreso, said the gathering celebrated the ability to vote and urged residents to return ballots early. She encouraged voters to complete and sign their ballots before submitting them.

U.S. Rep. Yassamin Ansari said she brought her own completed ballot to the march. She described early voting as safe and effective and said voting is a civic duty. Ansari also pointed to concerns about access to health care in her remarks.

U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego urged voters to use available options to cast their ballots, including mailing them, placing them in a drop box or delivering them to a polling place. He said voting offers people a way to make their voices heard amid anxiety about national events.

No Kings demonstrations were held in communities around the country. In Phoenix, the march’s route connected political advocacy with a practical election activity: submitting ballots to the county office responsible for tabulating votes.