By Betsey Piette
April 8, 2024

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania organizers from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and cities in between held a Zoom press conference April 3 to promote their write-in vote “Uncommitted” campaign for the April 23 Democratic Party primary for president. An “Uncommitted” vote demonstrates opposition to Genocide Joe Biden’s support for Israel.

The goal of the campaign, endorsed by over 30 interfaith, multigenerational and multiracial groups across the state, is to turn out at least 40,000 people who vote “uncommitted.”

The organizers want an end to the U.S. support of Israel, including its providing weapons for Israel’s murders of over 30,000 Palestinian women, men and children, and its massive destruction of the infrastructure in Gaza.

The vote “Uncommitted” movement began in Michigan with the Feb. 27 primary ballot, when over 100,000 voters selected “Uncommitted” rather than casting a vote for Biden, far exceeding the organizers’ goal of 10,000.

Since then, the campaign has secured 530,502 votes for the option in Minnesota, Hawaiʻi, Washington, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Alabama, Colorado, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee, securing a total of 25 delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

In the Democratic primary in New York on April 2, where voters did not have an “Uncommitted” option, they left their ballots blank instead. While final totals remain untallied, New York State’s “Leave It Blank” campaign organizers anticipate winning around 12% of the vote.

Zoom conference makes demands

Shalah Ramadan, an organizer with the Pennsylvania campaign, said, “The current administration’s policies are contrary to the majority of people, who support ceasefire and refuse to be complicit.”

Hadeel, a member of the Palestine Coalition in Harrisburg, spoke of her personal loss of family and friends as a result of the Israeli air strikes in Gaza and the recent total destruction of Al-Shifa Hospital. She said, “We reject a presidential candidate who prioritizes the funding of war to rain death on Gaza, and who will not support a permanent ceasefire. Biden must listen to the people — two thirds of voters demand this.”

The primary vote in Pennsylvania takes place on Tuesday, April 23. Unlike in other states, voters are not given the option of selecting “Uncommitted” from a list of candidates, but can write it on their ballots. The coalition plans to demand that the state count all the write-in votes.

More information is available through contact@uncommittedpa.org.