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The message that rang out across Nashville, Tennessee and more than 3,000 other U.S. cities and towns on Oct. 17 is clear: Vote.

Vote early to make sure your ballot is counted.

Vote early so the midterm elections cannot be manipulated or stolen.

Vote early to save democracy.

At Red Caboose Park in the community of Bellevue, 10 miles south of downtown Nashville, demonstrators with signs and some in costume lined Highway 70 South.

Music was a unifying background to the urgent nature of the gathering.

Paul Worley said he was at the demonstration to "save our country from collapse and from destruction."

Derek Jones serves on the executive committee of the Davidson County Democratic Party. He said," People are fired up to vote and cast their vote early. Should there be any shenanigans, they've already got their vote in and it's in the system.

Jones was helping with parking at the community park and carried a sign that said, "What would Dolly do? Vote."

Across town at Casa Azafran Community Center demonstrators held signs along busy Nolensville Road.

William Sisson, 31, said the important thing on the ballot for him is the vote for governor because, "I'm not a fan of "Marsha Blackburn."

Republican Marsha Blackburn is competing for the governor's seat against Democrat Jerri Green.

Becky Dan, with Nashville Indivisible, said she is most concerned about our country's democracy.

"I can see it going toward a dictatorship,'" said Dan.

Kathy Austin, also with Nashville Indivisible, said "We're not really a red state. We're a nonvoting state."

She came to Casa Azafran to vote and to encourage others to cast their ballots in a state that has a traditionally low voter turnout.

She said voters and lawyers are preparing in case there are any threats to the integrity of the midterm elections.

Austin said, "There are no shenanigans Trump will not employ if he has the ability to do so."

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