Just like you, I am unexcited about our choices for the presidential primaries. I know just as much as everyone else, that I do not want to see a repeat of the 2020 presidential election run-off between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
The 2024 presidential primaries — happening on March 14 for Washington state residents — will be the first presidential primaries I can vote in, and to be honest for a little while I thought I wasn’t going to vote. Not because I am “non-civically engaged youth” rather; it was quite the contrary. Given my involvement and expanding knowledge on politics as a progressive youth, I know that none of our options this year are viable. Which is why we should all vote “uncommitted.”
Morally, I cannot vote for any of the people on the ballot. For the democratic primary, we have President Joe Biden or as I like to refer to him as “Genocide Joe.” Ah yes, our lovely president who is on the brink of death, is casually funding and supporting genocide among many other horrible things. Our cowardly president is unwilling to call for a ceasefire, but instead can talk about the possibility of one over a scoop of ice cream. Isn’t that just so tasteful of him? Talking about the slaughter of the Palestinian people over some ice cream.
Instead of us progressives having to make the “rational-choice” and vote for a man who funds and supports genocide, an alternative would be to vote “uncommitted.”
In various states, including Washington, Democratic and Republican party ballots give voters the option to vote “uncommitted.” The “uncommitted” vote means that said voter is placing a party vote but is not supporting any of the candidates listed. We have seen the power of the “uncommitted” vote in Michigan’s primary.
Michigan is a state that has a considerable Arab population and given President Biden’s support of Israel amidst the genocide it’s imposing on the Gazan population, voters in Michigan used the “uncommitted” vote as a form of protest. According to the Washington Post, these “uncommitted” voters were placed in hopes of pushing President Biden to reassess his stance on the genocide in Gaza. Among the more than 100,000 Democratic presidential primary voters in Michigan, 13.3% were uncommitted. Which means one in eight democratic voters voted “uncommitted” in Michigan.
The purpose behind the “uncommitted” votes in Michigan was to demonstrate that voters are against Biden’s support of Israel and his continued failure to call for a ceasefire. To Biden, the “uncommitted” vote means that these voters may not vote at all in the presidential election in November, or might vote for a different candidate, contributing to the increasing chance of Biden losing reelection.
I believe that as eligible Washington voters, we must emulate what was done in Michigan. We are one of the few states that allow for “uncommitted” votes. I, and as I am sure many of you, do not want to vote for someone who is an active supporter of genocide. President Biden’s continued support for Israel is shameful, and his actions must be held accountable. That is why I hope you all will vote “uncommitted” in the presidential primaries coming up on March 14.
