No Kings Rally in Hernando Urges DeSoto Voters to Vote Early
A No Kings rally in Hernando brought demonstrators to the DeSoto County Courthouse on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 17. Organizers asked residents to cast their ballots early ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Indivisible DeSoto MS hosted the event and billed it as its fourth local No Kings gathering. The rally was one of the coordinated “No Kings: Vote Early” events held across the country this weekend.
No Kings Rally in Hernando: What Happened
The group advertised the rally for 2 p.m. at the courthouse, 2535 Highway 51 South, on Hernando’s historic square. It asked supporters to RSVP through the national No Kings sign-up page on Mobilize. After the event, Indivisible DeSoto MS posted an album of 79 photos on Facebook. The post said, “Today we gathered at the DeSoto County Courthouse for our 4th #NoKings,” and thanked everyone who took part.
Before the rally, the group said it would bring a life-size “snoozing Trump” figure and a whiteboard covered with President Trump’s name. Guests were invited to erase the name and write in Democratic candidates Scott Colom, who is running for U.S. Senate, or Cliff Johnson, who is running for Congress. Organizers have not released an attendance count.
Part of a National Day of Action
The No Kings coalition held three large nationwide protests during President Trump’s second term, including the June 14, 2025, demonstrations. Saturday’s events took a different approach. WLRN reported that more than 2,000 events were planned nationwide. They ranged from block parties to group walks to the polls, and organizers described them as focused on voter participation: checking registration, voting early where possible, and helping others plan to vote.
In the Memphis area, Indivisible Memphis held a separate “Vote Early, Party to the Polls” gathering on Saturday afternoon.
How Early Voting Works in DeSoto County
Mississippi does not offer the broad early voting found in Tennessee and many other states. Instead, voters who meet the state’s absentee eligibility rules can vote absentee in person before Election Day. In DeSoto County, in-person absentee voting takes place at the Circuit Clerk’s Office inside the same historic courthouse where Saturday’s rally was held.
- Weekdays: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Saturday, Oct. 24: 8 a.m. to noon
- Saturday, Oct. 31: 8 a.m. to noon (the last day to vote absentee in person)
- Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3: polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The U.S. Senate race on the DeSoto ballot pits Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith against Democrat Scott Colom and independent Ty Pinkins. In the 1st Congressional District, Republican Trent Kelly faces Democrat Cliff Johnson and Libertarian Johnny Baucom. Voters will also choose candidates in several nonpartisan judicial races and select local contests. Residents can look up their precinct and a sample ballot on the county’s Elections page.
For the full list of judges and local candidates on the ballot, see our guide: DeSoto County Judicial Races on the Nov. 3 Ballot.
Source: Indivisible DeSoto MS (Facebook)
