A write-in vote is a vote for someone whose name isn’t printed on the ballot: you write the name on the blank line and fill in the oval next to it. In most states it only counts if that person filed as a write-in candidate before a deadline. Six states don’t allow write-ins at all, and a few count any name. Write-in candidates rarely win, but it has happened in the US Senate twice.
Does my state allow write-in votes? #
There’s no federal rule; each state sets its own. Broadly, states fall into three groups.
| Approach | What it means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| No write-ins | Ballots have no write-in line, or write-ins aren’t counted | Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota |
| Registered write-ins only | Votes count only for people who filed a declaration of write-in candidacy by the deadline | Most states |
| Limited or special rules | Write-ins allowed for some offices or situations only | Mississippi (only to replace a candidate who died, withdrew or was removed); New Mexico and South Carolina restrict some offices, including president |
A small number of states tally write-ins for anyone, registered or not, and report stray names in the official results as “scattering” or similar. Rules change and differ by office, so check your state election office’s website for the current list of certified write-in candidates before you vote. The list for the November 3, 2026 general election is usually published in October.
Why do most states require write-in candidates to register? #
Registration tells election workers which names to count, and it keeps the process manageable. Without it, officials have to record every name anyone writes, from neighbors to cartoon characters. Filing requirements vary: some states only want a signed declaration, others require petition signatures or a fee, and deadlines can fall weeks before Election Day.
If you write in someone who didn’t file, your vote for that office usually isn’t counted. The rest of your ballot still counts.
How are write-in votes counted? #
The scanner looks for the filled oval, not the name #
Optical scanners don’t read handwriting. They detect a mark in the write-in oval and set that ballot aside, physically or digitally, for people to review. Two mistakes cost votes:
- Writing a name without filling the oval. Many scanners won’t flag it, and the write-in may never be seen.
- Filling a printed candidate’s oval and the write-in oval. That’s an overvote, and it can void your vote for that race.
People judge voter intent #
Election workers, often in bipartisan teams, review flagged ballots and match written names to the list of certified write-in candidates. Most states follow a “voter intent” standard: small misspellings count if it’s clear who the voter meant and no other candidate has a similar name. Illegible names and names that could refer to more than one candidate aren’t counted.
The biggest test of this came in 2010, when Lisa Murkowski ran as a write-in for the US Senate in Alaska. Her opponent challenged ballots with misspelled versions of her name, and Alaska’s courts upheld counting them where the voter’s intent was clear.
Can you write in a candidate for president? #
Yes in many states, but it’s harder than it looks. When you vote for president, you’re voting for a slate of electors pledged to that candidate. Many states require a write-in presidential candidate to file a full slate of electors by a deadline. Without that paperwork, write-in votes for president in those states aren’t counted, however famous the name. A few states don’t allow presidential write-ins at all.
What are sore loser laws? #
Most states have “sore loser” laws that stop a candidate who lost a party primary from appearing on the general election ballot as an independent or another party’s nominee. In some states the law also bars them from running as a registered write-in. In others, the write-in line is the only route left, which is exactly what Murkowski used in 2010 after losing her party’s primary.
Famous write-in wins #
| Year | Candidate | Office | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Strom Thurmond | US Senate, South Carolina | After party leaders picked a nominee without a primary, Thurmond won as a write-in, the first person elected to the Senate that way |
| 2010 | Lisa Murkowski | US Senate, Alaska | Lost the Republican primary, then won the general election as a write-in, handing out wristbands and pens printed with her name |
| 2021 | Byron Brown | Mayor of Buffalo, New York | The four-term incumbent lost the Democratic primary, ran as a write-in, and won the general election |
Write-in wins are more common in small local races, where a few hundred votes can decide the outcome and a late vacancy leaves no printed candidate. Our explainer on plurality vs. majority covers why a write-in can win with far less than half the vote in most races.
Do write-in candidates show up in polls? #
Rarely by name. Pollsters generally list the candidates on the printed ballot and group everyone else under “other” or “someone else.” A write-in candidate gets named in polls only when they’re running a serious, visible campaign, as Murkowski did.
That’s also how poll trackers handle it. Election Tracker, our free iPhone app, shows each Senate and governor race’s polls exactly as pollsters publish them, with a 30-day average for candidates who appear in enough polls. A write-in who isn’t polled won’t have a line, and one who shows up in a single poll stays on that poll’s card rather than getting a misleading average.
Tips if you plan to cast a write-in vote #
- Check your state’s list of certified write-in candidates for your race.
- Spell the name as clearly as you can. Print, don’t use cursive.
- Fill in the write-in oval, and don’t mark a printed candidate in the same race.
- If you vote by mail, follow the same steps, and return the ballot by your state’s deadline.
- If your state bans write-ins, a written name won’t count, so don’t leave that race blank by accident if you care about it.
If a race is extremely close, write-in ballots may be reviewed again during a recount. See when recounts are triggered.
Frequently asked questions #
Can a write-in candidate actually win? #
Yes, though it’s rare above the local level. Strom Thurmond (1954) and Lisa Murkowski (2010) won US Senate seats as write-ins. Local write-in wins are more common because they need far fewer votes.
Does writing in a fictional character count? #
Not in most states. Votes for people who didn’t register as write-in candidates are ignored for that office. In the few states that tally every written name, they’re recorded as miscellaneous votes with no effect on the outcome.
What happens if I misspell a write-in candidate’s name? #
In most states the vote still counts if election workers can tell who you meant and no other candidate has a similar name. Badly misspelled or illegible names may be rejected.
Which states don’t allow write-in votes? #
Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma and South Dakota don’t allow write-in voting, and a few others restrict it to certain offices or situations. Check with your state election office for current rules.
Does a write-in vote invalidate my whole ballot? #
No. At worst, the write-in for that one race isn’t counted. Your votes in every other race still count, as long as they’re marked correctly.