Write-in candidate

A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. The system is almost totally confined to elections in the United States. Some U.S. states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu of actually writing in the candidate's name. Write-in candidacies are sometimes a result of a candidate being legally or procedurally ineligible to run under his or her own name or party; write-in candidacies may be permitted where term limits bar an incumbent candidate from being officially nominated for, or being listed on the ballot for, re-election. In some cases, write-in campaigns have been organized to support a candidate who is not personally involved in running; this may be a form of draft campaign.

Write-in candidates rarely win, and votes are often cast for ineligible people or fictional characters. Some jurisdictions require write-in candidates be registered as official candidates before the election.[1] This is standard in elections with a large pool of potential candidates, as there may be multiple candidates with the same name that could be written in.

Many U.S. states and municipalities allow for write-in votes in a partisan primary election where no candidate is listed on the ballot to have the same functional effect as nominating petitions: for example, if there are no Reform Party members on the ballot for state general assembly and a candidate receives more than 200 write-in votes when the primary election is held (or the other number of signatures that were required for ballot access), the candidate will be placed on the ballot on that ballot line for the general election. In most places, this provision is in place for non-partisan elections as well.

United States

Historical success of write-in candidates

Generally, write-in candidates can compete in any election within the United States. Typically, write-in candidates have a very small chance of winning, but there have been some strong showings by write-in candidates over the years.

Presidential primaries

Senate

House of Representatives

State legislatures

Local government

Others

California's Proposition 14 impact on write-in candidates

In 2010, California voters passed Proposition 14 which set up a new election system for the United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, all statewide offices (governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state controller, attorney general, insurance commissioner, and superintendent of public instruction), California Board of Equalization, and for the California State Legislature. In the system set up by Proposition 14, there are two rounds of voting, and the top two vote-getters for each race in the first round advance to a second round. Proposition 14 specifically prohibits write-in candidates in the second round, and this prohibition was upheld in a court challenge.[41] Another court challenge to the prohibition on write-in candidates in the second round was filed in July 2014.[42]

Although Proposition 14 prohibits write-in candidates in the second round of voting, it has made it easier for write-in candidates in the first round to advance to the second round. This generally happens in elections where only one candidate is listed on the ballot. Since in each race the top two vote-getters from the first round are guaranteed to advance to the second round, if only one candidate is listed on the ballot, a write-in candidate can easily advance to the second round, as the write-in candidate would only have to compete with other write in candidates for the 2nd spot, not with any listed candidates. In the 2012 elections, the first election for which Proposition 14 went into effect, 5 write-in candidates advanced to the second round, but none received more than 40% of the vote in the second round.[43] In the 2014 elections, 16 write-in candidates advanced to the 2nd round of voting.[44] All 16 candidates lost in the second round, with only two of the 16 receiving more than 40% of the vote.[n 1]

Other countries

With a few exceptions, the practice of recognizing write-in candidates is typically viewed internationally as an American tradition.[45][46]

Protest

Popular culture

See also

Notes

  1. The two California candidates who ran as write-in candidates in June 2014 and went on to receive more than 40% of the vote in the November 2014 runoff were Jack Mobley who received 1,286 votes as a write-in candidate in June, and 46.6% of the vote in the runoff for the 21st Assembly District, and Nathaniel Tsai who received 394 votes as a write-in candidate in June, and 40.7% of the vote in the runoff for the 41st Assembly District.
    link to Nov 2014 election results, link to June 2014 election results

References

  1. See, for example, Section 1-4-1101, Colorado Revised Statutes (2008)
  2. "NH.gov - New Hampshire Almanac - First-in-the-Nation - Highlights". Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Washington Post, "Murkowski appears to make history in Alaska", Debbi Wilgoren, November 3, 2010 (accessed November 3, 2010)
  4. Official election results for the 2010 primaries. Alaska Division of Elections.
  5. Joling, Dan (October 28, 2010). "Lisa Murkowski Can Appear On List Of Write-In Candidates, State Supreme Court Rules". Huffington Post.
  6. Bohrer, Becky (November 18, 2010). "Murkowski becomes 1st write-in senator since '54". Boston Globe. Associated Press.
  7. 1 2 3 Ken Rudin (August 23, 2006). "What Happens If Lieberman Wins". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2006-09-03.
  8. Johnson, Alan (May 3, 2006). "Wilson wins primary as write-in candidate". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
  9. "Election Results for the March 2004 Primary" (PDF). California Secretary of State.
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  11. "Serphin R. Maltese R-C;". Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  12. "Winnie Brinks takes oath of office as Michigan's 76th District State Representative". MLive.com. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  13. Murphy, Jan (March 18, 2014). "Scott Wagner makes history with his win in York County Senate race". PennLive.com. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  14. "2005 General Election results for Hunterdon County".
  15. Reprint from The Huntington County News
  16. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/books/31maslin.html?_r=0 Fleecing the Sheep, Who Keep Coming Back for More
  17. Abbeylambertz, Kate (August 7, 2013). "Mike Duggan, Write-In Candidate, Pulls Comeback In Detroit Mayoral Primary". Huffington Post.
  18. Rainey, James (December 25, 2004). "Media's role clouds San Diego recount". The Boston Globe.
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  20. The Waterbury Observer – The Write Stuff
  21. News Channel 8 / 2005 Vote Election Results
  22. Kazanjian O'Brien, Dolores (April 1, 2005). "Baxter Estates Mayor James Neville "Stunned" by Write-in Defeat". Port Washington News. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
  23. Darius Tajanko. "City of Long Beach - File #: 07-0089". Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  24. Legacy of a Legend. Long Beach Press-Telegram.
  25. 1 2 http://www.wgil.com/newsarchive.php?xnewsaction=fullnews&newsarch=012011&newsid=150
  26. http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1958454815/Election-commission-upholds-challenge
  27. http://www.galesburg.com/news/x703876634/Election-commission-delays-announcement
  28. http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1254713692/Reynolds-will-run-as-write-in-for-city-council-Ward-3
  29. ERIC TIMMONS. "Recount for Galesburg City Council Ward 3 seat possible". The Register-Mail. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  30. http://www.galesburg.com/news/x528727041/Final-count-confirms-Fleming-s-victory-for-Ward-3-council-seat
  31. http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/nov/10/tdmet03-richmond-county-write-in-campaign-workedma-ar-1448412
  32. Friedman, Amy (July 17, 2012). "Cat Marks 15 Years as Mayor of Alaska Town". Time Magazine.
  33. School Board Write-in Campaign
  34. DeBonis, Mike (March 17, 2015). "Rep. Aaron Schock announces resignation in wake of spending probe". Washington Post. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  35. "'Fight' seen in California's governor's race". CNN. March 6, 2002. Retrieved 2006-03-30.
  36. Orange County Registrar of Voters Election Results for March 5, 2002
  37. Orange County Registrar of Voters Election Results for November 5, 2002
  38. Srisavasdi, Rachanee (October 30, 2003). "Case against ex-judge Kline gutted". Irvine World News. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
  39. Dougherty, Michael Brendan (October 1, 2009). "A Reversal of Fortune for Interim Independence Party". The Putnam County Courier. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
  40. Acosta, Roberto. "School board candidate loses election because she didn't vote for herself; calls not voting a 'dumb move'". Mlive.com. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  41. Hagan Cain, Robyn (Sep 21, 2011). "Court Upholds Prop 14 Bans on Write-In Votes, Unqualified Parties".
  42. Cadelago, Christopher (Jul 30, 2014). "Lawsuit challenges write-in rules under California’s top-two system". Sacramento Bee.
  43. "Statewide Election Results". Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  44. Merl, Jean (July 22, 2014). "Some June write-in candidates made it to the November ballot". Los Angeles Times.
  45. ABC News. "Donald Duck's a Big Bird in Politics". ABC News. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  46. "Livingstone threatens write-in campaign". BBC News. November 11, 1998.
  47. "Skämtet gjorde Jonas till sd-politiker". Expressen. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  48. "Foot Powder Produces Headaches in Ecuador." The New York Times. July 18, 1967. Page 39. Retrieved December 19, 2009.
  49. David Mikkelson (December 10, 2009). "Foot Powder Ecuador Election Result". snopes. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  50. "Foot Powder Wins Election Hands Down." The Washington Post. July 18, 1967 (p. A13).
  51. Ferreira, Neil. "Cacareco agora é Excelência". O Cruzeiro. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  52. Thompson, Jim (November 9, 2012). "Charles Darwin gets 4,000 write-in votes in Athens against Paul Broun". Athens Banner-Herald.
  53. "GA - Election Results". Retrieved April 15, 2016.
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