Thousands of Islanders push for early voting at 'No Kings' rallies throughout Nassau, Suffolk

The fourth installment of the “No Kings” movement saw thousands of Long Islanders rally at more than a dozen locations from Great Neck to East Hampton Saturday to encourage voter participation ahead of November's midterm election.

A protest born in response to perceived authoritarianism under President Donald Trump shifted to voting rights and promoting early voting at Saturday's rallies. The demonstrations were smaller than last October's "No Kings" rallies, but organizers nonetheless said they were encouraged by the turnout.

While the theme of the national movement aimed to be nonpartisan, there was no escaping the angst — and anger — many demonstrators felt toward Trump and his policies.

Barbara Paeth, 84, of Holtsville, said Trump has “turned our world inside out.”

“We want to live free in democracy,” she said at the Patchogue rally, where nearly 400 people gathered at the intersection of West Main Street and Holbrook Road. Signs posted throughout the four corners listed polling places and reminders to "vote early Oct. 24-Nov. 1."

John Cino, 69, an organizer of the Patchogue rally, wore a yellow vest as he helped direct people across the street from one section of the rally to another.

“Our message is that if we vote in numbers, we can have a return to democracy in this country,” he said. “I think that people just need to hear that we actually can use our voice to change things.”

Thomas Raycroft, 62, of Patchogue, waving an American flag at passing cars, said he was hopeful the demonstrations could make a difference in encouraging more people to vote.

He called it “astonishing” the number of people that decide not to vote in most elections.

Suffolk GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia described demonstrators as “out of touch, socialist, progressive individuals who are jumping around dancing and singing.” He said that as the midterm elections near, Republican committee volunteers have been going door-to-door across the county to “talk to voters directly.”

“I know that you would see more of the breadth and fabric of middle-class Suffolk County at any one of our headquarters than you do at you know at these small ineffective gatherings on a street corner,” he said.

The Long Island rallies were among hundreds held Saturday across the country. Organized by the No Kings network opposed to Trump, they too were designed to get people out to vote early in the midterms.

The events were billed as nonpartisan, though they sought to build on nearly two years’ worth of "No Kings" marches and demonstrations by people unsettled by Trump’s presidency.

The message to vote early spread to the Island's East End, where a crowd of about 200 gathered in front of the Suffolk County Supreme Court in Riverhead. Undeterred by the chilly weather, the fired-up crowd chanted "When are we voting? Early!" and sang along to folk songs.

"The hope is that we get the votes in and start feeling the momentum," said Elizabeth Jackson, 44, of East Quogue, who draped a black flag with "vote early" in gold letters around her to keep warm.

Brienne Ahearn, 44, one of the organizers of Riverhead's demonstration, said one goal is to mobilize voters ahead of the election. "To really hold onto democracy, we need to participate all of the time, not just at midterms or every four years to elect a president," Ahearn said.

Noelle Kozofsky, 21, of Riverhead, said she planned to vote early.

"Immigrants, women, everyone is losing rights rather than gaining equality and I think it’s really important that we try to change that before it’s too late," she said.

In Merrick, demonstrators gathered along Sunrise Highway early Saturday.

Claudia Borecky, president of the Bellmore-Merrick Democratic Club and South Shore Women’s Alliance, a sponsor of the rally, said the message was about promoting early voting.She said people are upset about the U.S. cozying to Russia.

“We have to do something, and the only way to do that is through voting in the midterms to at least be able to hold him accountable,” she said.

Newsday's Matthew Chayes and AP contributed to this story.