SALT LAKE CITY — With less than two and a half weeks to go until the midterm elections, thousands of people came together for a No Kings Rally and march starting at the Utah State Capitol.
Organizers and participants emphasized the importance of voting in this election.
"I'm worried about our country, I'm worried about democracy,” said Kathy Wawrzyniak, who lives in Sandy. “I'm worried about the freedoms that I grew up with, and I want that for my kids and grandkids."
Many in the crowd shared those same worries as well as the same conviction to vote in the midterms.
"We support all of the people who want to remove the Kings that are in charge of our country and try to inspire some of those people in the state legislature that are silent,” said Val Wawrzyniak, who lives in Sandy.
After musical performances and multiple speeches, the crowd took to the streets and marched to the Salt Lake County Library's official ballot drop box, all to cast their vote.
"You start questioning, does it count, and it has to. This is our democracy here, it has to count,” said Margeaux Westley, who lives in Salt Lake City. “I hope it counts, you want it to count, so we do it to hopefully make it count, that's why we do it."
One person we spoke to says he came to the march and cast his vote today because as a first-generation American, he considers this election to be important to his parents and others like him.
"I'm doing this for them, and for everyone else who is in my shoes, who is not specifically supposed to be welcome here right now,” said Bobby Lim, who lives in West Valley City. “This right now, is the most important election and the most important political thing I've done in my life."
The midterm elections are on Nov. 3, and for the first time ever, polling places will open the Saturday before election day, which is Halloween.
You can find locations at votesearch.utah.gov