No Kings/Vote Early rally brings 180+ to Chester Green

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Nearly 200 people gathered from throughout the area last Saturday afternoon for a get-out-the-vote rally on the Chester Green, just three weeks before Nov. 3 voting and amid early voting.

While the fall day was brisk and breezy, bright sunshine cheered those protesting the Trump administration in one of four dozen demonstrations statewide and almost 3,000 nationwide.

The message of the “No Kings” event was not just to get out the vote, but to vote early and not by mail according to organizer Steve Dock, of Two Rivers Indivisible, a Chester-area chapter of the nationwide movement.

Dock told the crowd that they cannot be sure that the U.S. Postal Service will deliver their votes on time.

“They delivered the ballots (sent to voters by the state of Vermont) but there’s no guarantee that they will arrive (at the clerk’s office) in a timely manner,” said Dock.

While rally-goers carried plenty of signs expressing displeasure with the administration, there were only a handful touting candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. The candidate most represented by signs was Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Amanda Janoo.

Kevin Scott of Mount Holly held up a huge sign paraphrasing Matthew 25 in the New Testament. Referring to the 20,000 Palestinian children killed in Gaza, his sign read: What have you done to the least of these?

Imme Maurath of Windham created a sign reminiscent of a roadrunner cartoon. It showed Trump cowering under a tiny umbrella as a huge anvil labeled “Karma” (rather than Acme) hurtling down on him.

The most intricate and creative had an environmental message from Chester resident Melody Reed. It was the “Trash Monster,” a full-body costume made of plastic bags, plastic spoons, plastic bottles and plastic wrappers, reminding everyone to ditch plastics for more environmentally safer options.

During the event, sound man Evan Parks of Chester made announcements instructing the crowd to stay on the curbs and not in the street as well as only crossing the street at the crosswalk in front of the Academy Building.

A little before 4 p.m. the crowd began to thin as protesters headed for their cars and organizers began breaking down and cleaning up.