10% of voters in Kansas’ Democratic primary chose ‘none’ over Joe Biden. Here’s why

Unofficial results from Kansas’ presidential primary elections are in, and around 10% of Democratic voters chose the uncommitted option of “none of the names shown” over voting for President Joe Biden.

The uncommitted votes in the Democratic primary represent a growing movement around the country to withhold support from Biden over his continued military and financial support for Israel’s siege of the Gaza strip.

Kansas City activist groups, including the Palestinian-led group Al-Hadaf KC and Free Palestine KC, have encouraged voters in recent weeks to mark an uncommitted choice in both Kansas’ and Missouri’s Democratic primaries, the latter of which is this coming Saturday, March 23.

“With an uncommitted vote, we are able to show the growing dissatisfaction within the Democratic voting base with this administration’s foreign policies,” an organizer with Al-Hadaf told The Star.

“Vote ‘None Of The Names Shown’ to let the Democratic Party know that we will NOT accept an administration that refuses to listen to the demands of millions calling for an end to the aggression in Palestine with an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza,” Al-Hadaf wrote in an Instagram post as voters headed to the polls Tuesday.

Free Palestine KC and President Biden’s reelection campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Biden won Kansas’ Democratic primary with 84% of the 41,911 votes cast. The uncommitted option came in second place with 4,303 votes — more than those cast for all of the other presidential primary challengers combined. This tally included 9% of Wyandotte County voters and 8% of Johnson County voters, according to data from the Kansas Secretary of State’s website.

Author Marianne Williamson received 1,438 votes in Kansas’ Democratic primary, or 3% of the state’s total. U.S. Representative from Minnesota Dean Phillips, who dropped out of the primary race March 6, received 556 votes. Businessman Jason Palmer received 496. Together, they received just under 6% of the total Democratic primary votes cast in Kansas.

Why choose ‘none of the names shown’?

Activist groups around the country have claimed the uncommitted option in presidential primaries as a sign of opposition to ongoing U.S. military aid to Israel.

Since the attacks of Oct. 7, Israeli forces have killed around 32,000 Palestinian civilians, in part using American-made weapons and with significant financial support from the U.S.

“President Biden has been a successful candidate in the past by representing a broad coalition, but right now he’s not representing the vast majority of Democrats who want a ceasefire and an end to his funding of Israel’s violence in Gaza,” Free Palestine KC organizers wrote on their website.

The uncommitted voting campaign has already manifested in other state primaries, with 13% of Michigan Democratic primary voters choosing an uncommitted option in late February. In early March, 19% of Minnesota Democratic primary voters did the same.

Uncommitted voting isn’t hurting Biden’s chances to run in November — the Associated Press has already named him the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, with former president Donald Trump declared the presumptive Republican nominee.

Trump won Kansas’ Republican primary Tuesday with 75% of the 93,801 votes cast. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley came in second place with 16% of the vote, while the uncommitted option received 4,900 votes, or 5% of the total. Fewer votes went to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and pastor Ryan L. Binkley.

Do you have more questions about elections or voting in Missouri or Kansas? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.