The Most Least Important Primary

by Garret Ean | Jan 12, 2012 | 3 comments

So passed another ubiquitous presidential primary season. The evolution of social media in advancing involvement, as well as disruption and protest in the weeks leading up to the primary was increasingly evident. Whether it was Occupy New Hampshire, undercover Ron Paul supporters, or independent and creative anarchists, the 2012 primary election bloomed into a renaissance for political satire in the granite state. Independent media continues to release intriguing videos and stories from the quadrennial festivity.

One especially overlooked aspect of any primary election is when, like this year, one side of the political divide is a no-contest. Few were shocked that Barack Obama emerged as the highest vote recipient for those who selected the blue-bannered ballot during Tuesday’s primary. The incumbent president was listed among 13 other contenders for the democratic party’s nomination. This ballot is notable for being shorter than its opposition by 20 names. Aside from the potential provided by the write-in slot, the only other candidate who stood for radical change on the roster was Vermin Supreme. His campaign represented what could have been the most honest and accessible movement for variety that this nation has ever seen.

Ed Cowan

But despite amassing 833 votes, Vermin Supreme was not to earn the coveted position of the new number two. He was narrowly edged out by world traveling Vermont resident Ed Cowan. Ed received 945 votes which put him in second place among declared democrats in the democratic primary. Counting republican write-ins, the second, third, and fourth places go to the second, first, and third placing republicans. Ron Paul’s 2,271 democratic write-in votes combined with the official 56,872 votes gained in the republican primary secured him a second place finish in both 2012 New Hampshire primaries.

Bill Gardner’s office has released the total vote counts, including legible write-ins. One surprising trend is that the lesser-contested democratic primary had 759 scatter ballots cast, compared to the 257 scatter ballots in the republican race. As the national show hits the road on its ritual tour, one wonders what our neighbors plan as entertainment for visiting politicians in their home states.