Could Oregon Voters Write In Jeff Merkley for President as a Rebuke to Biden Over Gaza?

Under Oregon election law, write-in votes aren’t tallied for individual candidates unless the total number of write-in votes would be enough to win the election.

A PROMISE: Rally for Palestine outside the Portland office of U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley. (Allison Barr)
By Marty Smith

I’ve heard we can’t vote “uncommitted” in the upcoming primary to protest Biden’s support for genocide in Gaza; the votes won’t be tallied. What if we write in Jeff Merkley, both to show displeasure with Biden and as a thank-you for being one of the first senators to call for a cease-fire? —Old Peacenik

I’m grateful, Peacenik, for the opportunity your letter offers me to go on the record with a grip of strong opinions about the situation in Gaza. However, just this once I think I’m going to forgo my usual gin-addled bloviating and confine my remarks solely to the narrow electoral circumstances surrounding your question. (And even with that I’ll get letters.)

As it happens, there’s already an organized effort encouraging Oregon Democrats to vote for “uncommitted” over Joe Biden in the May 21 primary: An activist coalition called Uncommitted Oregon is pushing the Beaver State to follow the example of Michigan, where “uncommitted” put the fear of God (or at least, an orange-tinted Satan) into Joe Biden by raking in over 100,000 votes in the Democratic presidential primary.

It varies by state, but in general the “uncommitted” ballot line is a holdover from the days of brokered party conventions. Not pledged to any candidate, uncommitted delegates could go to the convention and cast their nominating vote for whoever offered them the biggest bribe, as God intended. The modern repurposing of the vestigial “uncommitted” option breathes new life into an old concept.

In states that have it, that is. Oregon primary ballots don’t have an “uncommitted” option; I assume that’s what you’re alluding to when you say the votes won’t be tallied. Unfortunately, it’s even worse than that, and writing in Jeff Merkley won’t solve the problem. Under Oregon election law, write-in votes aren’t tallied for individual candidates unless the total number of write-in votes would be enough to win the election.

In most cases, election results only include the number of votes for all write-in candidates combined; no one can tell how many were for “uncommitted,” how many were for Jeff Merkley, and how many were for Gary Coleman. For this reason, cease-fire activists in Arizona (which, like Oregon, has no “uncommitted” option) are suggesting protest votes should go to Marianne Williamson, who’s on the ballot in both states. How will we know this is a protest vote and not genuine grassroots enthusiasm for the candidacy of Marianne Williamson? I bet we’ll figure it out.

Questions? Send them to dr.know@wweek.com.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.