High Voter Enthusiasm Noted Amidst ‘No Kings’ Movement and Anti-Trump Sentiment
TL/DR –
Voter enthusiasm in the US is currently high, with some residents of Kentucky wanting to vote in other states’ elections. An NBC News poll shows that interest in the 2026 election is already at a historically high point, and more than 65% of voters said they are very interested in the 2026 midterms, a year out from the election. The large “No Kings” protest movement, which opposes President Trump, has mobilized a significant portion of potential voters, with 43% of registered voters stating they support the movement.
High Voter Enthusiasm for Upcoming Elections, Sizable Wins for Democrats
Voters are showing elevated interest in elections, leading to some confusion in Kentucky where polling stations remained closed due to the lack of local elections. Kentucky Secretary of State, Michael Adams, clarified on X that Kentuckians could not vote for the NYC Mayor or Virginia Governor.
Recent elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City signified strong voter turnout and significant Democratic victories. Many of these campaigns were seen as referendums on President Donald Trump.
The latest NBC News poll shows Trump’s approval rating down and reveals a highly engaged Democratic Party base. The “No Kings” protest movement, opposing Trump, has mobilized many voters, with the 2026 election already garnering historical interest levels according to the same poll.
Support for the No Kings movement is roughly equivalent to voters who strongly disapprove of Trump (48%), as detailed in an NBC News report focusing on his failure to meet key economic and other objectives.
A majority of those who disapprove Trump’s performance support the No Kings movement, suggesting a strong correlation between their party identification and their support for the protest. A sizeable majority of Democrats, a substantial number of independents, and just a handful of Republicans support the movement.
A year before the 2026 midterm elections, over 65% of voters expressed a high level of interest. This level of enthusiasm is typically seen immediately prior to midterms, suggesting an extraordinary level of early engagement.
This year, most voters showing high interest favour the Democratic control of Congress, blaming Republicans for the federal government shutdown. The NBC News poll further highlights that about 40% of enthusiastic voters prefer Republican control of Congress.
The poll, conducted from Oct. 24-28, also indicates that over a third of Americans were directly affected by the shutdown nearing one month. It remains to be seen how this political climate will evolve post-shutdown or if the high election enthusiasm will continue.
The NBC News poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters from Oct. 24-28 using telephone interviews and an online survey. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points.
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