Stand Up for Science to host virtual No Kings GOTV rally Oct. 17

Stand Up for Science will host the official No Kings Virtual & Accessible Get Out the Vote Rally on Oct. 17, giving people in the U.S. and abroad a way to join the day of action online. The event is designed to widen participation with live interpretation, captions and breakout sessions focused on democracy, science and access.

Why it matters: - The virtual format is meant to lower barriers to participation for people who cannot attend in person because of disability, health, caregiving duties or location. - The rally extends the No Kings day of action to people outside the U.S. and to anyone who needs an accessible option. - The event is positioned as part of the broader fight over democracy, voting access and public participation.

What happened: - Stand Up for Science is hosting the official No Kings Virtual & Accessible Get Out the Vote Rally on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 at 12 p.m. Eastern. - The rally is virtual, and registration is open to attendees. - The event is part of the nationwide No Kings day of action.

The details: - The program starts with formal remarks, then moves into breakout sessions. - Organizers plan sessions that connect participants with Americans voting abroad. - Scheduled speakers include Theo W. Braddy, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living; Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball, The Big Short and Blockers; and Colette Delawalla, founder and executive director of Stand Up for Science. - Live ASL and Spanish audio interpretation will be available. - Closed captioning and multi-language automatic captioning will also be provided. - The event will focus on health, democracy and access, including access to care, science, voting and full participation in public life.

Between the lines: - Stand Up for Science is using an online GOTV rally to convert activism into turnout and participation. - The accessibility push signals an effort to make political organizing more inclusive without requiring travel. - The organization is building on prior momentum after its accessible March rally drew nearly 10,000 registrants. - The speaker lineup bridges disability rights, science advocacy, voting rights and international participation.

What's next: - Stand Up for Science says Colette Delawalla is available for comment and media appearances. - The rally is expected to serve as one of the organization’s public-facing efforts ahead of the Oct. 17 day of action. - More participants may join from outside the U.S. through the virtual format and breakout programming.

The bottom line: - Stand Up for Science is betting that accessibility and online access can broaden turnout for the No Kings movement and strengthen participation in democracy-focused organizing.