In New York, a group of pro-Palestine activists has initiated the “Leave it Blank” campaign, urging Democratic voters in the upcoming presidential primary to submit blank ballots in protest against President Joe Biden’s ongoing support for Israel amid the conflict in Gaza.
This campaign is a strategic move to encourage Democratic voters to submit blank ballots, a method not previously seen in New York’s primary elections, which lack an “uncommitted” ballot option available in states like Michigan.
The “Leave It Blank” campaign says, on its website, “The New York Presidential Democratic Primary is on April 2, and we have an opportunity to send President Biden a clear message that New Yorkers want a lasting ceasefire.”
The statement continued, “While there is no uncommitted or write-in option in New York, blank ballots are counted. Since only 1% of ballots are typically submitted blank in New York elections and the presidency is the only elected office on the ballot April 2nd, submitting blank ballots is a powerful way to make visible the thousands of New Yorkers who want Biden to invest our hard-earned tax dollars into our communities, not in sending more bombs used to massacre Palestinians.”
Brittany Ramos DeBarros, a prominent advocate for the campaign and a democratic socialist, sees the act of leaving ballots blank as a significant political gesture.
“Voting blank is actually a pretty common political option around the world,” DeBarros explained to City & State, linking the campaign’s goals with broader democratic principles and the call for a ceasefire abroad.
However, the New York State Board of Elections has stated that these blank ballots will not be reported in the unofficial results on election night, a decision that could potentially diminish the visibility of the protest.
This policy has drawn criticism from activists like DeBarros, who argue it undermines electoral transparency.
“Given New Yorkers have a right to submit blank ballots as (a valid) choice, we think failure to report those votes explicitly on election night by either the NYS or NYC BOE is antithetical to the transparency necessary for a healthy democracy,” DeBarros said.
DeBarros stated that the New York City Board of Elections traditionally does not include blank ballots in its election night reports.
She mentioned that the agency informed organizers that this practice would remain consistent for the presidential primary.
However, she added that state election officials had initially informed organizers that blank ballots would be included in the election night reports.
The “Leave it Blank” campaign is part of a broader movement across the United States, where pro-Palestinian and Muslim activists have utilized the Democratic presidential primary as a platform to advocate for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and protest the ongoing conflict.
The campaign has garnered support from over two dozen organizations, highlighting a growing sentiment against continued military aid to Israel.
Support for military assistance to Israel has experienced fluctuations in New York since the country initiated its conflict against Hamas following the October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,200 individuals in Israel and the abduction of over 200 people.
In October, 57% of respondents in a Siena College poll supported providing additional military and economic aid to Israel.
However, attitudes shifted in January of this year, with another Siena College poll indicating a slight majority of New Yorkers opposed continued military aid to Israel, with 45% against and only 43% favoring such aid.
The most recent Siena polling from February revealed a close divide among New Yorkers, with 44% supporting aid and 43% opposing it.
