Information provided by Indivisible Hollister. Lea este artículo en español aquí.

Over the past year, Indivisible Hollister has brought together people throughout our community who believe democracy works best when ordinary people participate.

You may have seen us. We have stood together, made signs, gathered peacefully with our neighbors and heard the horns of support from people driving by. Here in Hollister, we’ve seen firsthand how many people want their voices to be heard.

And we haven’t been alone.

Across the country, millions of Americans have participated in No Kings events, creating some of the largest mass demonstrations in recent American history. 

But No Kings 4 is different.

This time, the sign is your ballot.

This time, the action is voting.

On Saturday, October 17, No Kings: Vote Early shifts the focus toward voter participation. The nationwide effort is nonpartisan and designed to increase participation among eligible voters. 

Here in Hollister, we’ll begin with a No Kings: Vote Early rally from noon to 2 p.m. at Tres Pinos Road and Airline Highway. Participants can park at the old Kmart parking lot.

The rally will follow the No Kings commitment to nonviolent action and de-escalation. Current No Kings event guidance asks participants to act lawfully and seek to de-escalate potential confrontations. 

But this time, the rally isn’t the end of the day.

Afterward, we’ll take that civic participation to the ballot box.

At 2:15 p.m., we’ll meet in the old Kmart parking lot for our Vote Early Caravan. Indivisible Hollister will have American flags available for participating vehicles. Once everyone has assembled, we’ll caravan together to the Winn Alley ballot drop box, where those who have brought completed ballots can return them.

Planning to join the caravan? Please register in advance so we know how many vehicles to expect and can have enough American flags available.

Register for the Indivisible Hollister event⁠ here.

People may participate in the rally, the caravan, both, or neither. You don’t have to attend an event to return your ballot on October 17. San Benito County has eight official ballot drop boxes.

Find a San Benito County ballot drop box⁠ 

Indivisible Hollister was formed because we believe democracy doesn’t happen somewhere else. It happens right here — in Hollister, San Juan Bautista and throughout San Benito County. It happens in our neighborhoods, our schools and our local government.

We’ve held the signs.

We’ve heard the horns.

On October 17, the focus turns to the ballot box.