Higher Percentage of Write-In Votes in Pennsylvania Democratic Primary Signals Protest Against President Biden

The preliminary primary voting results from Pennsylvania’s largest Democratic counties have revealed an interesting trend – a higher percentage of write-in votes on the Democratic presidential party line compared to the 2020 presidential primary. This surge in write-in votes is seen as a possible sign of protest votes cast against President Joe Biden.

According to the Associated Press, a total of 60,178 voters across the state cast write-in ballots in the Democratic primary. This accounted for 5.6% of the total Democratic electorate. Despite this, Biden still overwhelmingly won with 86.9% of the vote, while Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips garnered 6.4% after suspending his campaign last month.

Progressive organizers mounted a campaign urging voters to write in “uncommitted” as a protest vote against Biden’s ongoing support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas. The group known as Uncommitted PA aimed to send a message to Biden in a critical swing state he’ll need in November.

The increase in write-in votes could be a reflection of larger voter frustration with the options at the top of the ballot. In the six Pennsylvania counties with the most registered Democrats, the number of write-in votes counted in Tuesday’s Democratic presidential primary far surpassed the 2020 figures.

Philadelphia alone had nearly six times the number of write-in votes for the Democratic nominee for president compared to 2020. Some voters may have written in names like Mickey Mouse or Gritty, while others may have used the phrase “No Joe” as a protest vote.

Despite the spike in write-ins, State Sen. Sharif Street, the chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, pushed back on the criticism of Biden and emphasized the stakes of the general election rematch with former President Donald Trump.

Overall, Pennsylvania voters have split opinions on the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict in the Middle East. The surge in write-ins on the Democratic side greatly overshadowed GOP write-ins, likely reflecting the work of the Uncommitted Pennsylvania movement.

With six months until the general election, there are signs of fractures among Republican Party voters as well. Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the race in March, received about 16% of Republican primary votes.

The outcome of the primary elections in Pennsylvania reflects a diverse range of opinions and sentiments among voters, setting the stage for a potentially contentious general election in November.