Here are New Hampshire voters’ wackiest primary write-ins

Actor Giancarlo Esposito at Galaxy Con. Best know for his role as Gustavo Fring in "Breaking Bad" and its prequel "Better Call Saul." One New Hampshire voter jokingly wrote Gus' name in the New Hampshire write-in. Photo by Bryan Regan

By Katy Savage

January 26, 2024

The Jan. 23 primary election in New Hampshire was an unusual one.

Despite President Joe Biden choosing not to appear on the Democratic primary ballot due to the state defying a primary schedule change, he still won through an unprecedented write-in campaign, becoming the first candidate to win a write-in in New Hampshire since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Former President Donald Trump won the Republican primary with 54.3% of the Republican vote.

Some New Hampshire residents opted for other candidates. There were some big names on the write-ins ballots, like Michelle Obama, Cornel West and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

“Cease-fire” got 1,531 votes in the primary, according to a vote tally from the Secretary of State, after locals organized a campaign in protest of the Israel-Hamas war.

Some New Hampshire residents got a little more creative on the ballots, writing in some unusual presidential candidates.Here’s a roundup of some of the most unique:

Gus Fring, a character on the television show “Breaking Bad,” who works with a Mexican drug cartel, got a vote in Concord
Singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers also secured a vote in Concord
“Who Da Faque” got a vote in Dover, as did “Purple Dildo”
Abraham Lincoln got a vote in Keene
“Your Mama” secured a vote in Hanover
Activist Rachel Aliene Corrie, who died, got one vote in Hanover
Comedian and writer Jon Stewart got a vote in Nashua
Justin Spencer, a New Hampshire-based drummer of Recycled Percussion, also got a vote in Nashua

Author

Katy Savage

Katy Savage is the Granite Post's newsletter editor. Katy is an award-winning reporter with more than 10 years of experience working in daily, weekly, and digital news organizations as both an editor and reporter. Katy is a New England native and has a passion for telling stories about where she grew up.

Have a story tip? Reach Katy at [email protected]. For local reporting in New Hampshire that connects the dots, from policy to people, sign up for Katy's newsletter.

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CATEGORIES: LOCAL CULTURE | LOCAL PEOPLE | OPINION

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