Best way to protest-vote in the CA Democratic presidential primary?

February 28, 2024 3:27 PM

What's the best way, if any, to register dissatisfaction with Pres. Biden's Israel policy in the CA primary? Is there another candidate I should vote for instead? A write-in of some sort? Or just leave that field blank? (I am aware that my single vote is essentially meaningless and that CA will undoubtedly go for Biden in both the primary and the November election.)
posted by miltthetank to Law & Government (10 answers total)

"Protest votes" are meaningless. Write a letter to your elected representatives instead (that way they'll actually know which issue you're protesting).
posted by heatherlogan at 3:45 PM on February 28 [45 favorites]

Vote for someone who represents your views best. That's the only vote that matters to your conscience.
posted by 2N2222 at 4:08 PM on February 28

The best way is to vote for Barbara Lee for Senate. And, since you have the luxury in CA, it is a low-risk signal to just not vote for Joe Biden in the primary and the general.
posted by kensington314 at 4:11 PM on February 28 [11 favorites]

First, I support your decision to register a protest vote in the CA primary , though I can't offer any suggestions for how to make it meaningful as I'm not sure this is the best way to influence policy decision. However, I hope you will not do that in November. Yes, Biden will win the CA in the electoral college, but it is imperative that there is a clear popular vote majority for Biden. It simply cannot be a close vote.
posted by brookeb at 4:22 PM on February 28 [25 favorites]

I searched "uncommitted California primary" and got this.

The key point being: "Democrats in Michigan voted “uncommitted” in their presidential primary Tuesday to demonstrate their opposition to the president’s support of Israel in the Gaza war. It isn’t that simple in California’s primary. California leaders with the Council on American-Islamic Relations are calling for Democratic voters to leave the presidential race blank."

So, vote for local stuff, but leave the presidency blank.
posted by coffeecat at 4:58 PM on February 28 [5 favorites]

Write-ins are rarely tabulated. Protest votes are - 13% of Michigan voters registered 'uncommitted', and that signal is being noticed. If you want your protest vote to be registered as a protest vote, I think you'll want your protest vote to be for a candidate obviously recognizable as one a dissatisfied Democrat would vote for. Here is a list of the officially recognized primary candidates.

The only two candidates who mention Israel and Palestine are Dean Phillips and Eban Cambridge; however, Dean Phillips absolutely has shit the bed over the situation. Eban Cambridge hasn't called directly for a ceasefire but has spoken against what he's called the 'original sin' of Israeli settlements in Palestine.

I would suggest probably either Eban Cambridge or a blank primary vote for president.
posted by corb at 5:00 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]

California leaders with the Council on American-Islamic Relations are calling for Democratic voters to leave the presidential race blank.
posted by splitpeasoup at 8:29 PM on February 28 [4 favorites]

"Protest votes" are meaningless. Write a letter to your elected representatives instead (that way they'll actually know which issue you're protesting).

Just wanted to chime in that this is unequivocally false--at least from the perspective of actual political strategists. See this article about the wildly successful 'uncommitted' campaign in Michigan:

""We have led a movement that is far exceeding expectations, using the ballot box to urge America to stop killing our families," said Listen to Michigan spokesperson and Democratic strategist Abbas Alawieh at a watch party in Dearborn, Mich. "That's all we're asking for. Just stop killing our families," he added. Source

If your state has an 'uncommitted' campaign for the Democratic presidential primary, voting uncommitted is actually a very meaningful decision, far moreso than writing 'a letter' to your elected representatives--ask the thousands of people who've been spamming their representatives for five months in protest of genocide to no results whatsoever.

Even if there is no organized "uncommitted" campaign in California (I think they only currently exist in Colorado and Minnesota), I think the example from Michigan will make it quite clear what your vote is protesting.

First, I support your decision to register a protest vote in the CA primary , though I can't offer any suggestions for how to make it meaningful as I'm not sure this is the best way to influence policy decision.

As someone with Palestinian friends whose families are getting murdered as we speak with my (and your) active complicity, would love some pointers on the best ways to influence my country's policy of sending billions of dollars to the people murdering them.
posted by lizard2590 at 4:38 PM on February 29 [6 favorites]

Please email and mail your elected officials. Find out where there are protests and join them when you can. This is the most effective strategy. Protest votes, like Nader, just say you're dissatisfied, can be manipulated, tipped the election for Bush instead of Gore, as well as the mess in Florida.
posted by theora55 at 9:56 AM on March 1 [1 favorite]

I wrote in Rashida Tlaib on my CA presidential primary ballot.
posted by ursus_comiter at 10:21 AM on March 1 [2 favorites]