Unlike past rallies protesting the policies of President Donald Trump’s second administration over the past two years, gatherings Saturday in Gurnee, Highland Park, Buffalo Grove and Deerfield had a distinct purpose — to urge people to vote early.
Katie Salyer, one of the leaders of Indivisible Northeast Lake County, said that with the election a little more than two weeks away, and early voting expanding Monday from one location in downtown Waukegan to 18 across the county, the gathering in Gurnee was designed as a call to action.
“This is a national day of action encouraging people to vote and ideally vote early,” Salyer said. “By voting early, you can avoid potential barriers on election day and make sure your vote is counted.”
Salyer was one of nearly 2,000 people protesting policies of the Trump administration and encouraging people to vote ahead of the Nov. 3 general election at rallies Saturday in Gurnee, Highland Park, Buffalo Grove and Deerfield.
The events in Lake County were part of a larger group of demonstrations throughout Chicagoland and across the country Saturday, including Evanston, La Grange, Naperville. Broadview and northwest Indiana.
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With Saturday’s gatherings smaller than rallies earlier this year, which drew crowds of nearly 10,000 people at different locations in the county, Salyer said with the Nov. 3 election so close, more emphasis was placed on encouraging people to vote rather than protest. There were 1,200 in Gurnee.
“We want to rally the community to action on election day with get-out-the-vote efforts,” Salyer said at the Gurnee event.
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park, noticed a sign held by a man at the Buffalo Grove rally which said: “This ends when we say no.” It motivated him to talk about what people need to do between now and Election Day.
“We’re here together saying no — no more kings; no more corruption; no more taking Medicare and Medicaid away from people because healthcare is a right, not a privilege; no more taking … away from families who want to put food on the table and give their children a future they deserve,” Schneider said
Keith Brin, the Republican 10th Congressional District Central Committee person, said in a text Saturday that rather than criticize the policies of the Trump administration, both parties need to focus on issues which will improve conditions for people today.
“Families are struggling with property taxes, affordability and the cost of living,” Brin said. “I wish Democrats and (Gov.) JB Pritzker would spend as much time explaining their own failed records in Lake County and Illinois as they spend attacking the president.”
There were numerous signs in Gurnee supporting immigrants and criticizing the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies. Brendan Murphy was holding a sign in Gurnee reading, “Diversity Makes America.”
“We all came from somewhere,” Murphy said. “You can come here from anywhere and become an American. This is what unifies America.”
Richard Hockensmith of Antioch was wearing the uniform of an American officer in the Revolutionary War like the ones his ancestors wore in Gurnee. He said they first arrived from England in 1690. His sixth great-grandfather was a spy in the Revolutionary War. He was there for the future.
“I have four granddaughters,” Hockensmith said. “I want them to live in a country where they have books to read, can have a good career and be able to afford a house.”
State Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, was spending her time in Gurnee encouraging people to vote — she said she will cast her ballot Monday — because she sees the 2026 midterm election as a pivotal one.
“You can vote for a country which is for a few rich people or pave the way for people who want to say ‘We the people are America,’” Edly-Allen said.
Unlike past rallies, Edly-Allen said Indivisible Northeast Lake County emphasized the nonpartisan flavor of Saturday’s event. She and other members of Lake County Democratic Women had their table at a nearby restaurant rather than on one of the prominent street corners.
Schneider said during his speech it was critical to elect a Democratic majority to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. He wants to see U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, become speaker of the House.
“With a Democratically controlled Congress, we will finally get back to doing the business of the American people — lowering costs, restoring health care, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and placing a check on presidential power,” Schneider said in a text after the rally.
Brin said he fears if Democrats retake the House, there will be a repeat of 2018 when they were “consumed by partisan warfare, investigations, and impeachment” rather than dealing with issues to help the American people.
“Americans deserve a Congress focused on solving problems, not one determined to settle scores,” Brin said. “If Democrats choose to relitigate the last election instead of addressing the challenges facing American families, the consequences for an already divided country could be far worse than what we experienced after 2018.”
Carolyn Pinta, the organizer of the Buffalo Grove event, said 170 people were in attendance. Each rally the group holds in Buffalo Grove is combined with a food drive, with the groceries going to Sue’s Pantry in Arlington Heights.
In Highland Park, Sonny Cohen, one of the organizers, said 450 people gathered in front of City Hall. Several people spoke, including Highland Park High School senior Rylee Weber.
“She spoke at the end and said, ‘It’s important we vote today for our future,’” Cohen said.
For a group that gets 20 to 25 people to a regular demonstration every other Saturday, David Borris, one of the Deerfield organizers, said he was thrilled 150 people came to their rally.
“People are outraged with the grift, the corruption and the audacity this administration is pursuing, which is not the way to run the United States of America,” Borris said.
Dawn Abernathy, the chair of the Lake County Republican Central Committee, said in a text that Democrats should find another message than criticizing the Trump administration. Illinois Democrats need to deal with more bread-and-butter issues not getting sufficient attention in the state.
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“They continue to raise taxes, increase spending; meanwhile, we have a $140+ billion pension deficit while we have some of the lowest reading and math scores in the country,” Abernathy said.
After the rallies, local Democratic leader Lauren Beth Gash said Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats continued the political activism with a postcard party on No Kings Day. Postcards went to people in districts across the country with close contests. Some got yard signs to distribute through the area.
“It was important to Democrats to help make sure the inspiration so many feel on a national day of action leads to celebration the night of the election,” Gash said.