Instructions for Write-In Voting

On the Optical Scan Voting System, a line is provided for casting a write-in vote following the name(s) of the candidate(s) or the designation "No Candidate Filed" for each office listed on your ballot.

To accomplish your write-in vote you must print the name of the write-in candidate on the line and darken the oval to the left of the name you write in. (See illustration below)

State law requires that Judges of Election do not count any write-in votes for anyone unless the Judges have been notified by the County Clerk that the "Declaration of Intent to be a Write-in Candidate" has been filed with her office.

This law requires that anyone running as a write-in candidate must file the "Declaration of Intent to be a Write-in Candidate" with the County Clerk's office by the 61st day prior to the Election, that date being Thursday, February 2nd, 2023.

Anyone wishing to run as a write-in candidate must file the form; this holds true in all cases, both where the designation "No Candidate" appears on the Ballot, and where the full number of candidates to be elected appear on the ballot.

In determining the validity of a write-in vote, the spelling of the candidate's name need not be exactly as long as the intent of the voter can be determined. There should be some relationship between the appearance or the sound of the name written in and that of the candidate's actual name. In the case of a misspelled name, a majority of the judges must agree as to the intent of the voter and whether or not the write-in vote will be counted.

Printing the name of the write-in candidate is just as valid as writing the name in script, however, the use of stickers or a rubber stamp by a voter does not constitute a valid write-in vote.