Hundreds of demonstrators lined Bernardo Center Drive in Rancho Bernardo on Saturday, Oct. 17, waving signs and drawing honks from passing cars. It was the fourth nationwide "No Kings" rally since President Donald Trump's second term began.

The crowd was smaller than at previous rallies held in March and October 2025, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. But the message was sharper. Instead of airing a wide range of grievances, participants focused on one thing: getting people to vote in the Nov. 3 General Election.

The Rancho Bernardo rally was one of 24 events held across San Diego County and Temecula that day, according to the OB Rag. Other North County communities that held protests included Fallbrook, Vista and Valley Center, ABC 10News reported. The format was intentionally decentralized, with no single large downtown gathering. Organizers combined demonstrations with voter-registration assistance and ballot drop-offs, the OB Rag reported.

Hugh Rothman of the Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club attended the Bernardo Center Drive rally alongside Sheldon Blumenfeld, Mindy Flanagan and Sara Bonnel, according to the Union-Tribune. The crowd stretched several blocks, ABC 10News reported.

Candidate endorsements, party promotions and active campaigning were prohibited at the events, the Los Angeles Times reported ahead of the rallies. The No Kings coalition described the day as focused on "nonpartisan voter participation," according to the Times.

Not everyone at the Rancho Bernardo rally identified as a Democrat. Glenn Anaiscourt, who told ABC 10News he has attended at least six "No Kings" protests, said he is a registered Republican who came out in solidarity with those defending the right to vote.

"I support the right to vote and I think we need to protect it … and so it feels wonderful to stand up for democracy," Anaiscourt said, according to ABC 10News.

Poway resident Joan Thompson also attended. She told ABC 10News she votes in every election and recalled working with immigrant students who became U.S. citizens and took pride in casting their ballots.

The "No Kings" movement began on June 14, 2025, on Trump's birthday, the Los Angeles Times reported. An estimated 8 million people participated in the March rallies at 3,300 events held around the country and overseas, according to the Times.

The Nov. 3 General Election falls on a Tuesday. Several of the Oct. 17 rally sites across the county included walks to ballot drop-off locations, the OB Rag reported.