Pennsylvania held its primary elections on April 23. Here is a report of what one voter in Philadelphia observed:

Candidates in Pennsylvania primary. “Uncommitted” was not one of them.

Out of curiosity, I decided to observe a polling station in Philadelphia during Primary Day, April 23. After watching and talking with voters, I made the following observations:

There has been a massive drop in interest and enthusiasm in electoral politics amongst Democrats since 2020. Turnout relative to 2020 was extremely low, and those who did show up to vote largely showed up out of habit, a sense of obligation, or because they had had nothing else to do. Conversely, the few Republican turnouts seemed very excited and enthusiastic.

This was the first time I had ever witnessed black voters at a polling station making it clear to strangers that they were voting Republican, and the excitement amongst all voters who had shown up to vote for Trump was palpable. Any inquisition into their feelings around the ongoing criminal trial was met with immediate dismissal of any credence to the proceedings in particular and the criminal justice system in general.

Almost all younger Democrats who took the time to show up to vote indicated that they had voted uncommitted, some other write in, or left the Presidential nomination blank. This was overwhelmingly attributed to frustrations around Gaza. Even the Democratic Party volunteer handing out sample ballots seemed interested in the “uncommitted” movement, but had already voted by the time that I spoke to her. Somehow she was ignorant of that phenomenon before Primary Day.

Generally speaking, there seemed to be a lack of energy for Biden that was comparable to the significant presence of energy for Trump. While Philadelphia will almost certainly swing towards Biden, if the anecdotal evidence gathered from the activity I observed upon polling day is any indicator he will not mobilize the numbers necessary to win the state in November. It is already obvious that Pennsylvania will be close, but with a lack of turnout in the biggest Democratic stronghold in the state turning up in a manner similar to 2020 it may not be competitive.

Generally speaking, Biden has lost ground among young people, blacks, and latinos. The legislation enacted by Republicans to restrict abortion access certainly offends pro-choice Pennsylvanians, but they are also reassured that their state government will not allow similar laws to pass where they live.

This climate, when Biden must defeat Trump in key swing states like Pennsylvania to defeat Trump, suggests more and more that we have not seen the last days of Trump’s Presidency. 

Oaklandsocialist adds: Here are the results of that primary. Note that the option to vote “uncommitted” was not on that ballot.

Candidates in Pennsylvania primary. “Uncommitted” was not one of them.