Thousands vote ‘No Preference’ amid low turnout on Super Tuesday
In Springfield, slightly more than eight percent of Springfield voters chose ‘No Preference’
SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Less than 24 hours after the polls closed on Super Tuesday, we’re looking at the major takeaways from the presidential primary. Election officials told Western Mass News that turnout was extremely low, but that was not the only story to come out of yesterday’s race in the Bay State. Voters, particularly Democrats, made their stance on their presidential choices very clear.
“We’ve never seen it like this before,” said Springfield Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola-Lopez.
Voters went from choosing somebody to nobody.
“Typically, when people vote ‘No Preference,’ they just leave a blank ballot, but it gives individuals an opportunity to circle in a little bubble to say ‘I’m voting intentionally for none of the candidates,’” Oyola-Lopez explained.
Oyola-Lopez shared that a little than over eight percent of Springfield voters chose that option and our latest data shows across the Bay States showed that, overall, nine percent of voters followed suit.
“Especially in swing states, the ‘No Preference’ vote has been a part of a general effort by left-wing Democrats to make it clear to President Biden is not on the same page as them,” said Western New England University History Professor John Baick.
Our conversation on the power of ‘no’ led us to Baick, who said those votes should come as a warning.
“If I was the president’s campaign manager, I would realize that there’s not just a lack of enthusiasm, but a growing movement,” Baick explained.
He said while Democrats used that option, Republicans had another option to show their disdain for former President Donald Trump.
“Almost everyone chose either the former president and he won by a comfortable margin or Nikki Haley, who would be basically seen as a protest candidate,” Baick noted.
“I am filled with the gratitude for the outpouring of support we’ve received from all across our great country, but the time has now come to suspend my campaign,” Haley explained Wednesday.
With that protest option now gone and voters heading towards a November rematch of Trump and Biden, it’s sending déjà vu throughout the country. Ethan Black of Agawam told us that he may be on the Biden train, but “I think that the candidates are not the best option.”
Even though, we’re seeing a strong no preference surge right now, we’ve seen bigger. According to numbers from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, back in 2012 when President Obama was on the re-election ticket, 10.9 percent of Democratic voters chose ‘No Preference.’ Those officials said we typically see higher numbers for that choice when an incumbent president is on the ballot.
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