Up to 1,000 people are expected at the Oregon State Capitol Mall on Saturday, Oct. 17, for the fourth national No Kings rally. This time, the focus shifts from protest to getting voters to cast their midterm ballots early.

Salem Region Indivisible is organizing the local event, one of more than 2,500 planned across the country, first reported by the Salem Reporter. The rally begins at 10 a.m. at 900 Court St., with speakers scheduled through noon. A march with "VOTE!" signage will follow from noon to 1 p.m., looping through downtown and past the county clerk's ballot drop box.

The shift marks a change from the first three No Kings events. Those rallies, held over the past year, centered on protesting President Donald Trump's policies, according to Yahoo News. Saturday's demonstrations will instead emphasize voter participation. Candidate endorsements, party promotions and active campaigning will be prohibited.

Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin said the effort will emphasize organizing people to vote rather than sending a political message. "We're taking back power for the people using our constitutional right to organize and our constitutional right to vote," Levin said in a news release, according to Yahoo News.

The No Kings coalition includes the American Federation of Teachers, Black Voters Matter Fund, Voto Latino, Indivisible, MoveOn and Public Citizen. The coalition says its name reflects opposition to what organizers describe as President Trump's efforts to expand presidential power.

Salem hosted a No Kings rally in March as part of the third national day of action. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, both Democrats, spoke to the crowd at the Capitol Mall that day, the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported. Nationally, an estimated 8 million people participated in 3,300 events in March.

Oregon's midterm election is Nov. 3. The state uses vote-by-mail, and ballots began arriving in mid-October, according to OPB. Voters can return ballots by mail or at approved county drop boxes by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Organizers are asking attendees to bring family, friends, signs, flags and noisemakers. The event page from Salem Region Indivisible has details on signage ideas and registration.