The fourth installment of the No Kings movement in Kitsap County focused its energy on getting residents to the ballot box, organizers and officials said after an Oct. 17 series of events that combined voter registration, information and public demonstration.
Local organizers prioritize early voting and registration
Indivisible Bremerton, the local chapter behind the event, opened the day at Whitney Domsted Plaza with a “Vote Early” station before moving to Bremerton’s Manette Bridge for the group’s customary public rally. Roughly 60 people gathered at the plaza to hear speakers, register to vote and create posters for the later demonstration; a smaller contingent carried the action onto the bridge at noon.
Multiple community organizations staffed booths at the plaza, offering information and assistance. Those included the League of Women Voters and the We Are Better Together Foundation, a nonprofit focused on support for Latino communities. Organizers noted that the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office had already mailed ballots to registered voters, and the outreach aimed to help people navigate the voting process ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Auditor presents turnout data amid outreach push
Kitsap County Auditor Paul Andrews participated in the event, answering audience questions about how voting works in the county and discussing recent voter turnout patterns. He provided comparative figures for the two most recent general elections:
| Election | Registered voters | Turnout |
|---|---|---|
| November 2024 (presidential) | 197,551 | 80% |
| November 2025 | 201,081 | 43% |
The figures underscored a substantial decline in participation after the high-turnout presidential year, a point organizers used to emphasize the value of every vote in lower-turnout contests.
“Voting is a non-partisan issue,” said Allie Flynn, a leader of the Indivisible Bremerton chapter. “Our voices matter. Everybody has the opportunity to influence, even when they don't think they do. Sometimes races are won and lost by really small amounts, and so everybody's voice really does matters. It’s the only way we truly have the power to make a difference.”
Community groups aim to integrate marginalized voters
Representatives from the We Are Better Together Foundation emphasized the importance of presence at public events. Gabriela Ituarte, the nonprofit’s executive director, said the organization attends forums like the Vote Early event to remain visible to communities that may otherwise be marginalized from electoral participation.
Organizers positioned the rally as nonpartisan and educational, even as some signs and messaging at prior No Kings demonstrations have targeted the federal administration. The shift to registration and turnout activities reflects a broader strategy among civic groups to convert protest energy into participation at the ballot box.
- Where: Whitney Domsted Plaza and Manette Bridge, Bremerton.
- Who: Indivisible Bremerton, Kitsap County Auditor’s Office, League of Women Voters, We Are Better Together Foundation.
- Why now: Ballots already mailed; organizers pushing early voting and registration ahead of Nov. 3 midterms.
As local groups continue voter outreach, the turnout contrast presented by the auditor offers a concrete target for their work: closing the gap between presidential-year participation and midterm engagement. With ballots already in mailboxes, organizers said the goal was straightforward — make it easier for residents to understand the process and to vote early when possible.
The event illustrated how grassroots movements can pivot from protest to civic education, using public gatherings to provide on-the-spot registration, answer procedural questions and connect typically underrepresented communities to voting resources.
