According to ballotpedia.org, “an undervote occurs when the number of choices selected by a voter in an election is less than the maximum number allowed for that election.” Balotpedia.org also points out, “Voters have the right to undervote if they choose to do so. Unlike an overvote, a ballot will not be canceled or disqualified as the result of an undervote. An undervote can be intentional (e.g., protest votes, tactical voting, or abstention) or unintentional (e.g., oversight on the voter’s part or confusing ballot design)” In a contested election, an undervote can be construed as active voter disaffection; a voter engaged enough to cast a vote without the willingness to give the vote to any candidate.
An undervote can indicate that those voters did not select one of the two candidates on the ballot – this could be because they did not have information on either candidate, or it could indicate a “protest vote” – voting only for or against a candidate in another race (such as presidential) and not in the down ballot primary races.
Currituck County Republican Primary
The maximum number of ballots, in Currituck County, were cast in the Republican presidential primary – 3,932 votes. This indicates that a total of 3,932 Republicans and Unaffiliated voters participated in the Republican primary.
The number of votes cast in this contest will be the base line for calculating undervote in down ticket races.
Republican Presidential Primary
In the presidential primary, incumbent Donald Trump, garnered 3,647 of 3,882 votes cast (92.8%). Challengers Bill Weld and John Walsh split the remaining 285 votes (7.2%). Those 285 votes could be considered a “protest vote”
| Trump | 3,647 (92.8%) |
| Opponents | 285 (7.2%) |
| Vote Total | 3,932 |
Register of Deeds Primary
In the Currituck Register of Deeds primary, 3,882 voters ( Republicans and Unaffiliated ) cast ballots. The difference between the maximum number of ballots cast, and the ballots cast in the Register of Deeds primary is 50 ballots. So there was a 50 ballot “undervote” in this race – 1.27% of ballots cast in the Republican primary.
| Hall | 2,125 |
| McCord | 1,757 |
| Vote Total | 3,882 |
| Win Margin | 109 |
| Undervote | 50 |
| Undervote % of Win Margin (undervote / win margin) | 14% |
For the Register of Deeds primary race, in which Incumbent Denise Hall defeated challenger Christy McCord by a margin of 368 votes, the undervote would not have made a significant difference in the race, as the margin of victory exceeded the number of undervotes.
At Large Primary
At Large Commissioner – a three way race – undervotes totalled 109 votes – 2.77% of ballots cast in the Republican primary. For the At Large Commissioner primary race, in which Incumbent Mary “Kitty” Etheridge bested challengers, Fred White and Daryl Hood by a margin of 109 votes, the undervote may have made a difference in the race, as the margin of victory (90 votes) was less than the number of undervotes (109). Had the undervotes gone toward Fred Whiteman – Whiteman may have narrowly defeated Etheridge.
| Etheridge | 1,761 |
| Whiteman | 1,671 |
| Hood | 391 |
| Vote Total | 3,823 |
| Undervote | 90 |
| Win Margin (Etheridge v Whiteman) | 109 |
| Undervote % of Win Margin (undervote / win margin) | 121% |
District 4 Primary
District 4 Commissioner undervotes totalled 157 votes – 3.99% of ballots cast in the Republican primary. For the District 4 Commissioner primary race, in which Incumbent Paul Beaumont beat challenger, Stuart Innes by a margin of only 55 votes (1.45% of votes cast in the race), the undervote would have made a difference in the race, as the margin of victory (55 votes) was less than the number of undervotes (157). The undervotes could have given Innes an outright victory or placed him in a position to ask for a recount (in race vote difference less than 1%).
| Beaumont | 1,915 |
| Innes | 1,860 |
| Total | 3,775 |
| Undervote | 157 |
| Win Margin | 55 |
| Undervote % of Win Margin (undervote / win margin) | 285% |
District 2 Primary
District 2 Commissioner undervotes totalled 178 votes – 4.53% of ballots cast in the Republican primary. For the District 2 Commissioner primary race, in which Incumbent Selina Jarvis out polled challenger, Steven Craddock by a margin of only 338 votes, the undervote would likely not have made a difference in the race, as the margin of victory (338 votes) was nearly double the number of undervotes (178). Undervotes in this race could have been due to lack of voter knowledge of the candidates, or a protest vote in the Republican presidential primary.
| Jarvis | 2,046 |
| Craddock | 1,708 |
| Total | 3,754 |
| Undervote | 178 |
| Win Margin | 338 |
| Undervote % of Win Margin (undervote / win margin) | 53% |
