Despite being unable to displace New Hampshire’s century-long first-in-the-nation primary tradition, President Joe Biden’s decision to exclude his name from the 2024 primary ballot has caused a stir. This has ramifications not only for his campaign but also for state election officials and the voting public. The exact specifics of next year’s New Hampshire primary remain uncertain, but plans are unfolding.
Quick Read
- President Joe Biden won’t appear on the 2024 New Hampshire primary ballot.
- New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan has the authority to set the primary date, likely January 23.
- Biden’s absence from the ballot is due to a dispute within the Democratic Party over the primary calendar.
- Some state Democratic leaders are organizing a write-in effort for Biden.
- Write-in votes will be processed and tabulated with other votes, but it’s unclear if they’ll be broken down by individual candidates on election night.
- In 2020, write-in votes in the New Hampshire primary comprised 2% of the total vote.
- Write-in candidates can win delegates, and the national party may decide on penalties for New Hampshire Democrats for holding their primary earlier than allowed.
- The New Hampshire primary ballot will feature numerous candidates, and voters can write in names in a designated space.
- The candidate filing period ends soon, and several Democrats and Republicans have filed or are expected to do so.
- The Associated Press will report vote totals for both Democratic and Republican primaries, including write-in votes, and will declare a winner when no trailing candidate can close the gap, but a significant number of write-in votes could slow this process.
The Associated Press has the story:
Biden is a no-show on the NH primary ballot. What happens next?
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP)
Despite being unable to displace New Hampshire’s century-long first-in-the-nation primary tradition, President Joe Biden’s decision to exclude his name from the 2024 primary ballot has caused a stir. This has ramifications not only for his campaign but also for state election officials and the voting public.
The exact specifics of next year’s New Hampshire primary remain uncertain, but plans are unfolding.
Date of the 2024 New Hampshire primary: While New Hampshire’s Secretary of State David Scanlan holds the power to decide the 2024 primary’s date, he hasn’t set one yet. Traditionally, it’s the Tuesday after the Iowa caucuses, slated for January 15th. Considering state regulations and the subsequent South Carolina Democratic primary on February 3rd, the probable date seems to be January 23rd.
Reasons for Biden’s Absence: Debates within the Democratic Party concerning which states should initiate the nomination process have persisted. Despite Iowa and New Hampshire’s historical roles, other states have pushed for earlier positions in the schedule. Biden had recommended South Carolina lead the nomination process after his significant win there in 2020, which the DNC agreed to. New Hampshire, however, expressed intentions to retain its status, possibly incurring DNC penalties. Choosing to respect the national party’s rules, Biden opted out of the New Hampshire ballot.
Biden’s Influence in the New Hampshire primary: Although Biden’s name won’t be printed, efforts are underway to support him via write-ins. In the past, President Lyndon Johnson achieved a New Hampshire primary win as a write-in candidate. State Democratic Party Chairman, Raymond Buckley, anticipates a similar win for Biden.
Counting Write-In Votes: Write-in votes will be processed alongside other votes on election night, as per the secretary of state. These totals might not immediately provide individual candidate breakdowns, but history suggests most write-ins typically support a single major candidate.
Fate of New Hampshire’s Democratic Delegates: Despite the unconventional method, write-in candidates can still win delegates. But how the DNC might penalize New Hampshire for its early primary remains a mystery. Past instances saw Michigan and Florida receive varying delegate rights due to early primaries, which might offer some insights.
What the Ballot Might Look Like: Entry onto the New Hampshire primary ballot requires a Declaration of Candidacy and a $1,000 fee, which usually results in numerous candidates. By Wednesday, 13 Democrats and 21 Republicans had completed the paperwork, with more expected before the deadline.
AP’s Election Night Coverage: The AP will provide vote totals for both parties, including write-in vote details as available. They won’t project winners prematurely, especially if detailed write-in breakdowns are delayed.
