Santa Barbara residents, on Saturday Aug. 16, will join a National Day of Action to protest Trump’s order to gerrymander Texas and other red states.

The action starts at 10 a.m. along State Street between Hitchcock Way and Hope Avenue targets “a transparent and anti-democratic ploy designed to give Republicans additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and avert an electoral disaster for Trump in 2026,” said organizers.

The Fight the Trump Takeover mobilization is a direct response to Donald Trump’s plan to rig the 2026 election by redrawing congressional districts in favor of Republicans and attacking the voting rights of communities of color, young people and the working class.

“This is not a partisan political fight,” said Ian Paige, a member of the Indivisible Santa Barbara team that is organizing the Fight the Trump Takeover event. “It is a pressure test of our democracy.

“Trump’s policies are deeply unpopular, from the persecution of our immigrant friends and neighbors to the invasion by American soldiers of cities like Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. But rather than face backlash from angry voters, Trump has ordered Republicans in Texas and elsewhere to deliver him additional seats in Congress.

“We urge all friends of democracy — Democrats, Independents and Republicans — to stand up against this naked, dictatorial power grab,” Paige said.

The Fight the Trump Takeover protests will celebrate the efforts of Democrats in the Texas State Legislature, who have bravely stood up for the right of the people to hold fair elections.

“The protests on August 16 will affirm that in a democracy, the power to select the people’s representatives must belong to the people, and not to a wannabe king like Trump,” organizers said.

Demonstrators in Santa Barbara will gather on both sides of State Street between Hitchcock Way and Hope Avenue.

Participants are urged to bring protest signs demanding the preservation of our sacred right to vote, including the right to vote out kleptocrats that violate our trust and ignore our human rights.

All Indivisible Santa Barbara events adhere to a shared commitment to nonviolent protest and community safety. Organizers are trained in de-escalation and are working closely with local partners to ensure peaceful and powerful actions nationwide.

For a full list of events, visit https://www.fightthetrumptakeover.com.