protest vote
noun /ˈprəʊtest vəʊt/
/ˈprəʊtest vəʊt/
- [countable] a vote for a person or party not because you support them but because you want to prevent another person or party from succeeding
- People were really casting a protest vote against the leadership of the Democratic Party rather than endorsing the far left.
- [singular] the total number of protest votes in an election
- The Communist Party appeared to benefit from the protest vote.