EDISON, NJ — The No Kings movement is trading picket signs for a backyard party in the Edison-Metuchen area this weekend.
A "No Kings: Vote Early" event is set for Saturday, from 2 to 4 p.m. The address is private and will be shared with attendees when they sign up here.
Organizers are billing it as a backyard party with "food, fun and democracy." Attendees can meet others, check their voter registration status and talk about voting and ballot protection.
"Unlike previous No Kings actions, No Kings: Vote Early, is not purely a protest," the event description states.
Organizers say the No Kings movement has drawn millions of people over the past year to reject the idea that power belongs to "kings, billionaires, or politicians who believe they are above the people and the law." Now, they say, the focus is on "turning people power into voter power."
The day is meant to be one of nonpartisan voter participation, according to organizers, with the goal of helping people make a plan to vote early and making sure every eligible voter knows their options.
"We decide who represents us. We decide what comes next," the event listing reads.
The local gathering is one of several planned in the region on Oct. 17, including events in Princeton, Highland Park, Monroe, Piscataway and Somerset.
Organizers say all No Kings events are committed to nonviolent action. Participants are expected to de-escalate any confrontations with people who disagree with them and to act lawfully.
Early voting in New Jersey runs from Oct. 24 through Nov. 1. Election Day is Nov. 3.
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