President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump easily prevailed in their respective presidential primary elections in New York, which saw low turnout with both outcomes essentially predetermined.
Biden’s victory in the Democratic primary and Trump’s on the Republican side were both called by the Associated Press shortly after polls closed at 9 p.m. Both have no major opponents left in the race, as attention shifts toward November’s general election.
That was reflected in the turnout numbers: Only about 56,000 New Yorkers cast ballots during the eight days of early voting that ended on Saturday, according to the Board of Elections.
By comparison, even last year’s sleepy general election for City Council had 67,000 early votes, and nearly 1 million people went to the polls for early voting in the 2020 general election for president.
“I don’t think there’s a single voter in New York City that thinks this is an election of particular consequence,” said Evan Roth Smith, a Democratic pollster and strategist.
There is one question mark that remains: The number of Democratic voters who may cast blank ballots as a protest against President Biden’s handling of Israel’s war in Gaza.
Pro-Palestine activists in recent weeks have mounted the push to “Leave it Blank,” mirroring the protest vote movements in previous primary states like Michigan, where more than 100,000 Democrats cast “uncommitted” ballots in February. (New York lacks an uncommitted ballot slot, leaving blank ballots as the closest equivalent.)
But state Board of Elections officials have said that the number of blank ballots will not be reported on primary night, and instead will not be known until results are formally certified weeks later.
There will be more chances to vote in New York this year. The primary election for state and federal offices — including state Assembly, state Senate and Congress — will be held June 25. And, of course, the general election for all contests, including president, will follow on Nov. 5.
Nick Garber , 2024-04-02 21:05:03
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