Arab groups urge Illinois to protest Biden with "Gaza" write-in vote
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Many people in the Chicago area were using their vote in Tuesday's primary election to protest against the war in Gaza.
It's a nationwide movement reaching the city. Some voters are protesting President Joe Biden's refusal to call for a permanent ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas by writing in "Gaza" as their chosen presidential candidate on the Democratic primary ballot.
Cook County has the largest Palestinian-American population of any county in the country, with more than 18,000 people. Many of them and their allies said this was the latest way to get their message heard.
Israel killed more than 31,000 Palestinians since the war began in October, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched attacks in Gaza after Hamas raided several towns on the border and killed more than 1,000 Israelis.
In Michigan, more than 100,000 voters, or about 13%, participated in this protest last month by voting "uncommitted" on their ballots in the Democratic primary. In Minnesota, 1 in 5 Democratic voters marked the "uncommitted" option.
In Illinois, with no uncommitted option on the ballot, protesters instead chose "Gaza" as a write-in candidate.
"We will amplify the name that is of utmost importance to us, which is Gaza. Gaza is at the forefront of this," said Tarek Khalil, a Palestinian-American who said Illinois will be the next state President Biden notices.
Khalil will be using the Gaza write-in option on Tuesday.
"Even if you win Illinois, you will not win in the manner that you thought, and that could have a future impact on future elections," Khalil said.
The movement includes allies; Lesley Williams and Lisa, who didn't want to use her last name, are Jewish. Both are calling for a ceasefire and writing in Gaza, too.
"The endgame is for Biden to do what he said he did when he was going to when coming into office, which he was going to be the human rights president, that he was going to be a president of empathy," Williams said.
"To call for a ceasefire, you don't have to be in one political camp or another," Lisa said.
The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners said any write-in votes for "Gaza" won't be counted or reported publicly, as there is an official process for running as a write-in candidate. So unlike Michigan and Minnesota, the results won't be known.
But with those participating seeking to take votes away from Biden in the primary, counted or not, protesters said their movement would send a message to Biden.
"He has an obligation to represent the interests of his voters," Lisa said.
"It will have some impact, and our collective voice here, especially as Palestinians, will be remembered by this administration," Khalil said.