View source for Write-in candidate

{{Short description|Political term}}
{{redirect|Write-in ballot|mail-in ballot|Postal voting}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{voting}}
A '''write-in candidate''' is a [[candidate]] whose name does not appear on the [[ballot]] but seeks election by asking voters to cast a [[vote]] for the candidate by physically writing in the person's name on the ballot. Depending on electoral law it may be possible to win an election by winning a sufficient number of such write-in votes, which count equally as if the person were formally listed on the ballot.

Writing in a name that is not already on the election ballot is a permitted practice in the United States. However, some other jurisdictions have allowed this practice. In the United States, there are variations in laws governing write-in candidates, depending on the office (federal or local) and whether the election is a primary election or the general election; general practice is an empty field close by annotated to explain its purpose on the ballot if it applies. In five U.S. states there are no elections to which it can apply, under their present laws. Election laws are enacted by each state and in the District of Columbia, to apply to their voters.

==How to write in the name==
Some [[U.S. state]]s and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker, with the write-in candidate's name, 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 their 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. They are also typically used when a candidate, often an incumbent, has lost a primary election but still wishes to contest the general 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 (politics)|draft]] campaign.

==Write-in candidates may have to register as candidates==
Write-in candidates have won elections on rare occasions. Also, write-in votes are sometimes cast for ineligible people or fictional characters, often as a form of [[protest vote]].

Some jurisdictions require write-in candidates be registered as official candidates before the election.<ref>See, for example, Section 1-4-1101, Colorado Revised Statutes (2008)</ref> 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.

==The spoiler effect==
In some cases, the number of write-in votes cast in an election is greater than the entire margin of victory, suggesting that the write-ins may have been sufficient to tip the balance and change the outcome of the election by creating a [[spoiler effect]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/30/alabama-election-roy-moore-write-in-votes |title=Mickey Mouse and Jesus among write-in votes that helped sink Roy Moore |newspaper=The Guardian |date=December 30, 2017 |access-date=November 2, 2020 |last=Pengelly |first=Martin }}</ref>

==Primary elections in the United States==
Many U.S. states and municipalities allow for write-in votes in a partisan [[Partisan primary|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 of the United States of America|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 [[Nonpartisanism|non-partisan]] elections as well.

==Write-in option in a referendum==
A write-in option may occasionally be available in a [[Referendum#Multiple-choice referendums|multiple-choice referendum]]; for example in the [[January 1982 Guamanian status referendum]].

==Contrast from a blank ballot election system==
[[File:Presidentinvaalit 2018 - äänestyslippu.jpg|alt=A blank ballot piece of folded card with an empty circle printed on the right-side were voter have to write the unique number assigned to their preferred candidate.|thumb|[[2018 Finnish presidential election]] ballot]]
The term "write-in candidate" is used in elections in which names of candidates or parties are '''preprinted''' on a paper ballot or displayed on an electronic voting machine. The term is not generally used in elections in which all ballots are blank and thus all voters must write in the names of their preferred candidates. Blank ballot election systems reduce the cost of printing the ballots, but increase the complexity of casting and counting votes. Such systems are [[elections in Japan|used in Japan]],<ref name="Cox2016">{{cite journal|last1=Cox|first1=Karen E.|first2=Leonard J. |last2=Schoppa|year=2016|title=Interaction Effects in Mixed-Member Electoral Systems|journal=Comparative Political Studies |quote=Japanese voters receive a blank ballot paper and are instructed to write down the name of an SMD candidate after examining a sheet posted on the wall of their voting booth. This list gives the names of all candidates along with the names of the party that submitted the candidate's name. |volume=35|issue=9|pages=1027–1053 : 1038|issn=0010-4140|doi=10.1177/001041402237505|citeseerx=10.1.1.555.9675|s2cid=154631760}}</ref> and were used in the past in the [[French Second Republic]]<ref name="Schaffer2008">{{cite book|last=Schaffer|first=Frederic Charles|title=The Hidden Costs of Clean Election Reform|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WOeXMUepNfcC&pg=PA49|access-date=May 11, 2018|year=2008|publisher=Cornell University Press|isbn=9780801441158|pages=49, fn. 32}}</ref> and in [[elections in the Philippines]] from [[World War II]] until the [[2010 Philippine general election|2010 general election]].<ref name="Schaffer2016">{{cite journal|last=Schaffer|first=Frederic Charles|year=2016|title=Might Cleaning Up Elections Keep People Away from the Polls? Historical and Comparative Perspectives|journal=International Political Science Review|volume=23|issue=1|pages=69–84 : 76–77|issn=0192-5121|doi=10.1177/0192512102023001004|s2cid=154673192|url=http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/gov2126/files/schaffer_2002_0.pdf#page=9|format=PDF|access-date=May 11, 2018|archive-date=February 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224200524/https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/gov2126/files/schaffer_2002_0.pdf#page=9|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some systems use a semi-blank ballot, such as Finland, where the voter must fill in a candidate's given number or letter from a separate ballot, but where there is a clear-cut arrangement with a circle or box with a description of how to vote for a given candidate.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How do Finland's elections work? |url=https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/how-do-finlands-elections-work/ |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=www.electoral-reform.org.uk |language=en-GB |quote=a Finnish ballot paper is just a blank piece of folded card with an empty circle printed on the inside. In this circle, you have to write the unique number assigned to your preferred candidate (with the lists of candidates, by party, displayed in each polling booth – each party usually stands multiple candidates).}}</ref> Blank-ballot systems typically require candidates to be nominated in advance.

==United States==
[[File:US write-in 2024.svg|thumb|250px|Requirements for write-in candidates in the 2024 United States general election
{{aligned table
|{{color box|#00E000}}|Registration not required
|{{color box|#2CA05A}}|Registration required
|{{color box|#D4AA00}}|Write-in not allowed for president, registration required for other offices
|{{color box|#F00000}}|Write-in only allowed for substitutes
|{{color box|#A00000}}|Write-in not allowed}}]]

The requirements to appear on the general election ballot as an [[independent politician|independent candidate]] or to have write-in votes counted vary by state and by political office sought.

As of 2024, 40 states and the District of Columbia allow write-in votes on their ballots, including for president; Alaska, New Mexico and South Carolina allow write-in candidates for some offices but not for president; Mississippi allows write-in votes only to substitute a candidate listed on the ballot who was removed, withdrew or died; Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma and South Dakota do not allow any write-in votes. Most of the jurisdictions allowing write-in votes require that the write-in candidates register by a certain date for their votes to be counted. Typically this registration consists only of a declaration of candidacy, but some states also require signatures of a certain number of voters, additional paperwork or fees. The deadline to register as a write-in candidate is usually later than to petition to be listed on the ballot.

=== 2024 presidential general election ===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="line-height:1.3"
|+Requirements for independent candidates for president in the 2024 United States general election
! rowspan=2|State or district !! colspan=3|Petition to be listed on ballot !! colspan=3|Registration as write-in candidate !! rowspan=2 class=unsortable|Sources
|-
! signatures !! data-sort-type=currency|fee !! deadline !! signatures !! data-sort-type=currency|fee !! deadline 
|-
|Alabama || align=right|5,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 15}} || colspan=3 {{yes|Registration not required}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/election-2024/Presidential-Ballot-Access-Info-2024.pdf |title=Presidential candidate ballot access, election 2024 |publisher=Alabama Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama |title=Code of Alabama, title 17, chapter 6, article 2, section 17-6-27: Write-in votes; listing of independent candidates; form of ballots |publisher=Alabama Legislature}}</ref>
|-
|Alaska || align=right|3,614 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 7}} || colspan=3 {{no|Write-in not allowed for president}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.alaska.gov/doc/forms/B05P.pdf |title=Filing for office, presidential candidate packet |publisher=Division of Elections of Alaska}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp#6.25.069 |title=6 AAC 25.069. Placement of write-in candidates on the ballot |publisher=Alaska Administrative Code, Alaska State Legislature}}</ref>
|-
|Arizona || align=right|42,303 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 17}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|September 26}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2024_running_for_president_handbook_20240309.pdf |title=Running for U.S. president in Arizona |publisher=Arizona Department of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/2024_signature_requirements_web_rev0124.pdf |title=2024 signature requirements |publisher=Arizona Department of State}}</ref>
|-
|Arkansas || align=right|5,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 5}} || colspan=3 {{no|Write-in not allowed}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/elections/2024_Running_for_Public_Office_8-16-23.pdf |title=Running for public office |publisher=State Board of Election Commissioners of Arkansas}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=sb254&ddBienniumSession=2023%2F2023R |title=SB254, 2023 regular session |publisher=Arkansas State Legislature}}</ref>
|-
|California || align=right|219,403 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 9}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 22}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov//statewide-elections/2024-primary/section-07-independent-candidates.pdf |title=Independent candidates, November 5, 2024, general election |publisher=California Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov//statewide-elections/2024-primary/section-08-general-election-calendar.pdf |title=November 5, 2024, general election calendar |publisher=California Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Colorado || align=right|12,000{{efn|Including at least 1,500 from each [[Colorado's congressional districts|congressional district]].}} || align=right|— || {{dts|July 11}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|July 18}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/Candidates/PresidentPetition.html |title=Petition nomination for president and vice president |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/Candidates/PresidentWriteIn.html |title=Write-in for general election for president and vice president |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Connecticut || align=right|7,500 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 7}}{{efn|July 31 if submitted to the Secretary of the State, or August 7 if submitted to town clerks.}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 7}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/electionservices/nominating_petitions_info/2024/5-2024-ed-602.pdf |title=Application for nominating petition for presidential electors |publisher=Secretary of the State of Connecticut}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/electionservices/write-in-candidacy/2024/ed-622-write-in-application-for-president-2024.pdf |title=Registration of write-in candidacy for president/vice-president |publisher=Secretary of the State of Connecticut}}</ref>
|-
|Delaware || align=right|7,690{{efn|1% of 768,978 registered voters as of December 31, 2023,<ref name=delaware/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.delaware.gov/candidates/pdfs/PoliticalPartyBallotStatus.pdf |title=Political party ballot status |publisher=Department of Elections of Delaware}}</ref> rounded up to the next integer.}} || align=right|— || {{dts|September 3}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|September 20}} || <ref name=delaware>{{cite web |url=https://elections.delaware.gov/candidates/get_on_ballot.shtml |title=Getting on the ballot |publisher=Department of Elections of Delaware}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.delaware.gov/public/calendar/pdfs/2024ElectionCalendar.pdf |title=2024 State of Delaware election calendar |publisher=Department of Elections of Delaware}}</ref>
|-
|District of Columbia || align=right|4,573 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 7}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|November 12}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://dcboe.org/candidates/candidate-ballot-access-information |title=Candidate ballot access information |publisher=District of Columbia Board of Elections}}</ref>
|-
|Florida || align=right|145,040 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 15}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|July 2}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://files.floridados.gov/media/707690/final-2024-fed-qualifying-handbook.pdf |title=2024 Federal Qualifying Handbook |publisher=Florida Division of Elections}}</ref>
|-
|Georgia || align=right|7,500 || align=right|— || {{dts|June 21}}{{efn|Deadline to file list of candidates for presidential electors. Additional forms are required at later dates.<ref name=georgia1/>}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|September 3}}{{efn|Deadline to file notice of candidacy. An additional form is required at a later date.<ref name=georgia2/>}} || <ref name=georgia1>{{cite web |url=https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/2024-03/Federal%20and%20State%20Candidate%20Qualifying%20FAQ_2024.pdf |title=Federal and state candidate qualifying FAQ |publisher=Georgia Secretary of State}}</ref><ref name=georgia2>{{cite web |url=https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/Write-in%20Candidacy%20Qualifying%20Packet.2024.pdf |title=Write-in candidacy qualifying packet |publisher=Georgia Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Hawaii || align=right|5,798 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 7}} || colspan=3 {{no|Write-in not allowed}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.hawaii.gov/candidates/presidential/presidential-elections/ |title=Presidential elections |publisher=Office of Elections of Hawaii}}</ref>
|-
|Idaho || align=right|1,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|March 15}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|September 6}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elections/forms/even_year/2024_Presidential_Candidate_Independent.pdf |title=United States president and vice president – independent candidate filing information |publisher=Idaho Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://voteidaho.gov/candidate-filing/#write-in-candidates |title=Write-in candidates |publisher=Idaho Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Illinois || align=right|25,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|June 24}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|September 5}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/RunningForOffice.aspx?MID=rOlNCTNZd9A%3d |title=Running for office, 2024 presidential preference and delegate guide, 2024 election calendar |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}</ref>
|-
|Indiana || align=right|36,943 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 1}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|July 3}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/files/2024-Candidate-Guide.FINAL-Revised-12.28.23.pdf |title=2024 Indiana candidate guide |publisher=Indiana Election Division}}</ref>
|-
|Iowa || align=right|3,500{{efn|Including at least 100 from each of 19 [[List of counties in Iowa|counties]].}}|| align=right|— || {{dts|August 24}} || colspan=3 {{yes|Registration not required}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/candidates/gencandguide.pdf |title=Candidate's guide to the general election |publisher=Iowa Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/candidates/faq.html |title=Candidate FAQ |publisher=General Assembly of Iowa}}</ref>
|-
|Kansas || align=right|5,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 5}} || align=right|— || align=right|$20 || {{dts|October 14}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.ks.gov/elections/candidate-information.html |title=Candidate information |publisher=Kansas Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Kentucky || align=right|5,000 || align=right|$500 || {{dts|September 6}} || align=right|— || align=right|$50 || {{dts|October 25}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.sos.ky.gov/CandidateFilingDocuments/President_Independent.pdf |title=President/vice president, independent and political group and organization candidates, general election |publisher=Kentucky Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.sos.ky.gov/CandidateFilingDocuments/President_WriteIn.pdf |title=President/vice president, write-in candidates, general election |publisher=Kentucky Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=2|Louisiana{{efn|name=either|Candidates qualify by providing either the signatures or the fee.}} || align=right|5,000{{efn|Including at least 500 from each [[Louisiana's congressional districts|congressional district]].}} || align=right|— || {{dts|July 24}} || rowspan=2 colspan=3 {{no|Write-in not allowed}} || rowspan=2|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/PublishedDocuments/PresidentialQualifyingInformationForCandidatesNotAffiliated.pdf |title=Qualifying information for president: candidates not affiliated with a recognized political party (electors) |publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/BecomeACandidate/QualifyForAnElection/Pages/default.aspx |title=Qualify for an election |publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
| align=right|— || align=right|$500 || {{dts|August 23}}
|-
|Maine || align=right|4,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 25}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|August 27}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/candidate/FINAL%20-%20Candidate's%20Guide%20-%20Non-Party%20Presidential%20Candidates.pdf |title=Ballot access for non-party presidential candidates in Maine |publisher=Division of Elections of Maine}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/pdf/Candidate's%20Guide%20to%20Ballot%20Access%202024.pdf |title=2024 candidate's guide to ballot access |publisher=Maine Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Maryland || align=right|10,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 1}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 17}}{{efn|Or 7 days after the candidate's campaign spends more than $51, whichever occurs first.}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/candidacy/index.html |title=Candidacy introduction |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections}}</ref>
|-
|Massachusetts || align=right|10,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 30}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|September 6}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/getting-on-the-ballot/how-to-run-for-president.htm |title=How to run for president in 2024 |publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts}}</ref>
|-
|Michigan || align=right|12,000{{efn|Including at least 100 from each of half of [[Michigan's congressional districts|congressional districts]].}} || align=right|— || {{dts|July 18}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|August 31}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/Elections/Candidate-information/Ballot-Access-Information-for-Presidential-Candidates.pdf |title=Ballot access information for presidential candidates seeking office in 2024 |publisher=Michigan Department of State}}</ref>
|-
|Minnesota || align=right|2,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 20}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 29}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.state.mn.us/election-administration-campaigns/become-a-candidate/presidential-candidates/ |title=Presidential candidates |publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Mississippi || align=right|1,000 || align=right|$2,500 || {{dts|September 6}} || colspan=3 {{no|Write-in only allowed for substitutes}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.ms.gov/content/documents/elections/2024%20Candidate%20Qualifying%20Guide.pdf |title=2024 candidate qualifying guide |publisher=Mississippi Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.ms.gov/content/documents/elections/County%20Election%20Handbook.revised%209.18.2023.pdf |title=County elections handbook |publisher=Mississippi Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Missouri || align=right|10,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 29}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 25}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/candidates |title=For candidates |publisher=Missouri Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionCandidates/2024filingdocuments/2024IndependentCandidateInformation.pdf |title=Independent candidate information, 2024 general election |publisher=Missouri Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Montana || align=right|5,000 || align=right|$1,740{{efn|name=fee|Not required if the candidate is unable to pay.}} || {{dts|August 14}} || align=right|— || align=right|$1,740 || {{dts|September 10}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sosmt.gov/elections/filing/ |title=Filing information |work=Montana Secretary of State - Christi Jacobsen |date=February 22, 2018 |publisher=Montana Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Nebraska || align=right|2,500 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 1}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 25}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2024/2024%20Election%20Calendar.pdf |title=2024 official election calendar |publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/2024%20Candidate%20Filing%20Guide_0.pdf |title=Statewide candidate filing guide 2024 |publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Nevada || align=right|10,096{{efn|1% of 1,009,503 votes for U.S. representatives in the 2022 general election,<ref name=nevada/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nvsos.gov/silverstate2022gen/USCongress/ |title=Silver state general election results 2022 |publisher=Nevada Secretary of State}}</ref> rounded up to the next integer.}} || align=right|$250 || {{dts|August 9}} || colspan=3 {{no|Write-in not allowed}} || <ref name=nevada>{{cite web |url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-298.html |title=Nevada Revised Statutes 298.109 |publisher=Nevada Legislature}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-293.html |title=Nevada Revised Statutes 293.270 |publisher=Nevada Legislature}}</ref>
|-
|New Hampshire || align=right|3,000{{efn|Including at least 1,500 from each [[New Hampshire's congressional districts|congressional district]].}} || align=right|$250 || {{dts|August 7}} || colspan=3 {{yes|Registration not required}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt561/files/inline-documents/sonh/how-to-file-by-nomination-papers-for-president_0.pdf |title=How to file by nomination papers to be a candidate for president of the United States in the 2024 New Hampshire general election |publisher=New Hampshire Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/lxiii/659/659-mrg.htm |title=New Hampshire Statutes, title LXIII, 659:64-a Counting write-in votes |publisher=General Court of New Hampshire}}</ref>
|-
|New Jersey || align=right|800 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 29}} || colspan=3 {{yes|Registration not required}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/candidate/2024-general-election-instruction-president.pdf |title=Petition filing instruction sheet, 2024 general election, electors for president and vice president of the United States |publisher=New Jersey Department of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://nj.gov/state/dos-statutes-elections-19-10-19.shtml |title=New Jersey Statutes Annotated, 19:15-28 Voting for personal choice; 19:16-3 Counting votes; distinguishing marks; ballots improperly prepared |publisher=New Jersey Department of State}}</ref>
|-
|New Mexico || align=right|3,561 || align=right|— || {{dts|June 27}} || colspan=3 {{no|Write-in not allowed for president}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.nm.gov/candidate-and-campaigns/how-to-become-a-candidate/2024-general-election-candidate-information/ |title=General election candidacy information |publisher=New Mexico Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|New York || align=right|45,000{{efn|Including at least 500 from each of half of [[New York's congressional districts|congressional districts]].}} || align=right|— || {{dts|May 28}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 15}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.ny.gov/petition-information |title=Petition information |publisher=New York State Board of Elections}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2024/03/2024-political-calendar-quad-fold-final-draftv3.pdf |title=2024 political calendar |publisher=New York State Board of Elections}}</ref>
|-
|North Carolina || align=right|83,188{{efn|Including at least 200 from each of three [[North Carolina's congressional districts|congressional districts]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Candidate%20Filing/2024_Fact_Sheet_Unaffiliated_Candidate.pdf |title=Unaffiliated candidates for election |publisher=North Carolina State Board of Elections}}</ref>}} || align=right|— || {{dts|March 5}} || align=right|500 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 23}}{{efn|Deadline to file signatures with county boards of elections. They must also be filed with the state board of elections at a later date.<ref name=northcarolina/>}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncsbe.gov/candidates/petitions/unaffiliated-candidate-petitions |title=Unaffiliated candidate petitions |publisher=North Carolina State Board of Elections}}</ref><ref name=northcarolina>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncsbe.gov/candidates/petitions/write-candidate-petitions |title=Write-in candidate petitions |publisher=North Carolina State Board of Elections}}</ref>
|-
|North Dakota || align=right|4,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|September 3}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 15}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://vip.sos.nd.gov/pdfs/Portals/running-president.pdf |title=Running for president and vice president of the United States |publisher=North Dakota Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Ohio || align=right|5,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 7}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|August 26}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ohiosos.gov/globalassets/publications/election/2024-presidential-guide.pdf |title=2024 Ohio presidential guide |publisher=Ohio Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=2|Oklahoma{{efn|name=either}} || align=right|34,599 || align=right|— || rowspan=2|{{dts|July 15}} || rowspan=2 colspan=3 {{no|Write-in not allowed}} || rowspan=2|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://oklahoma.gov/elections/candidates/2024-presidential-general-election/2024-presidential-election.html |title=2024 presidential election, general candidate information |publisher=Oklahoma State Election Board}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://oklahoma.gov/elections/faqs.html |title=Frequently asked questions |publisher=Oklahoma State Election Board}}</ref>
|-
| align=right|— || align=right|$35,000
|-
|Oregon || align=right|23,744{{efn|Or 1,000 in an assembly in one place and time.}} || align=right|— || {{dts|August 13}} || colspan=3 {{yes|Registration not required}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/president-nonaffiliated-candidates.pdf |title=President - nonaffiliated candidate quick guide |publisher=Oregon Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/statecandidates.pdf |title=State candidate manual |publisher=Oregon Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Pennsylvania || align=right|5,000 || align=right|$200 || {{dts|August 1}} || colspan=3 {{yes|Registration not required}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/CandidatesCommittees/RunningforOffice/Documents/2024/PB%202024%20Nomination%20Paper%20Instructions%20.pdf |title=Instructions for filing as a candidate of a political body, 2024 general election |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/LI/uconsCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&yr=1937&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&act=0320. |title=Pennsylvania Election Code, sections 1112-A. Election day procedures and the process of voting; 1113-A. Post election procedures |publisher=Pennsylvania General Assembly}}</ref>
|-
|Rhode Island || align=right|1,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|June 26}} || colspan=3 {{yes|Registration not required}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://vote.sos.ri.gov/Forms/Elections/Guides/24RunForOffice.pdf |title=Run for office guide 2024 |publisher=Rhode Island Department of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.ri.gov/faq/ |title=Frequently asked questions |publisher=Rhode Island Department of State}}</ref>
|-
|South Carolina || align=right|10,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 15}} || colspan=3 {{no|Write-in not allowed for president}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://scvotes.gov/candidates/ |title=Candidates |work=SC Votes - South Carolina Election Commission |publisher=South Carolina Election Commission}}</ref>
|-
|South Dakota || align=right|3,502 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 6}} || colspan=3 {{no|Write-in not allowed}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/upcoming-elections/general-information/2024/2024-Presidential-Ballot-Access.aspx |title=2024 presidential ballot access |publisher=South Dakota Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Tennessee || align=right|275 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 15}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|September 18}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.tn.gov/elections/guides/qualifying-procedures-for-president-of-the-united-states |title=Qualifying procedures for president of the United States |publisher=Tennessee Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Texas || align=right|113,151 || align=right|— || {{dts|May 13}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|August 19}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.texas.gov/elections/candidates/guide/2024/president.shtml |title=Running for president in Texas |publisher=Texas Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Utah || align=right|1,000 || align=right|$500 || {{dts|June 18}} || align=right|— || align=right|$500 || {{dts|September 3}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://vote.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/2023/09/2024-Unaffiliated-Declaration-of-Candidacy-for-President.docx-Google-Docs.pdf |title=2024 certificate of nomination for unaffiliated candidate |publisher=Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://vote.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/2023/09/2024-Write-In-Declaration-of-Candidacy-for-President.docx-Google-Docs.pdf |title=2024 declaration of write-in candidacy |publisher=Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://vote.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/2024/03/2024-Candidate-Manual-Digital-Version-6-1.pdf |title=2024 candidate manual |publisher=Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor}}</ref>
|-
|Vermont || align=right|1,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 1}} || colspan=3 {{yes|Registration not required}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.vermont.gov/elections/election-info-resources/candidates/presidential-candidates/ |title=2024 Vermont presidential candidate information |publisher=Vermont Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|Virginia || align=right|5,000{{efn|Including at least 200 from each [[Virginia's congressional districts|congressional district]].}} || align=right|— || {{dts|August 23}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 28}} || <ref name=virginia>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.virginia.gov/media/candidatesandpacs/2024-president-candidate-and-party-docs/2023-11-05-Presidential-Independent-and-Third-Party-Candidates-Bulletin_FINAL.pdf |title=How to run for office for independent candidates or third party political organizations, ballot access requirements for the November 5, 2024 general election for president and vice president |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.virginia.gov/candidatepac-info/candidate-bulletins/ |title=Candidate bulletins |publisher=Virginia Department of Elections}}</ref>
|-
|Washington || align=right|1,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|July 17}}{{efn|Deadline to publish notice of convention. Additional forms are required at later dates.}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|November 5}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/minorparty_ind_prescandidatesguide2024.pdf |title=President and vice president, minor party and independent candidates, guide to Washington State's 2024 ballot and general election voters' pamphlet |publisher=Washington Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|West Virginia || align=right|7,947 || align=right|$2,500 || {{dts|August 1}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|September 17}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Documents/Petition%20Signature%20Totals.pdf |title=2024 petition signature totals|publisher=West Virginia Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.wv.gov/FormSearch/Elections/Informational/Running%20for%20Office.pdf |title=2024 running for office guide |publisher=West Virginia Secretary of State's Office}}</ref>
|-
|Wisconsin || align=right|2,000 || align=right|— || {{dts|August 6}} || align=right|— || align=right|— || {{dts|October 22}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.wi.gov/candidates/federal-candidates |title=Federal candidates |date=May 28, 2022 |publisher=Wisconsin Elections Commission}}</ref>
|-
|Wyoming || align=right|3,891 || align=right|$750 || {{dts|August 26}} || colspan=3 {{yes|Registration not required}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.wyo.gov/Forms/Elections/Apps/Independent_Presidential_petition_WY.pdf |title=Petition for nomination – placement on the general election ballot |publisher=Wyoming Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sos.wyo.gov/Forms/Publications/ElectionCode.pdf |title=Wyoming election code, 22-16-103 County canvass procedures; 22-16-106 Write-in candidates |publisher=Wyoming Secretary of State}}</ref>
|}

;Notes
{{notelist}}

=== Presidential primary ===
*In the [[1960 United States presidential election|1960 presidential elections]], both major party candidates won a few primaries as write-in candidates, in contests that did not feature any candidates named on the ballot. [[John F. Kennedy]] won the Democratic primaries as a write-in candidate in Illinois (with 34,332 votes), Massachusetts (with 91,607 votes), and Pennsylvania (with 183,073 votes). [[Richard Nixon]] won the Republican primaries as a write-in candidate in Massachusetts (with 53,164 votes) and in Nebraska (with 74,356 votes). Kennedy also received write-in votes in the Republican primaries in New Hampshire (2,196 votes, which were 3.0% of votes cast), Massachusetts (2,989 votes, which were 4.8% of votes cast), Pennsylvania (3,886 votes, which were 0.4% of votes cast), and Oregon (2,864 votes, which were 1.3% of votes cast).<ref>{{cite web|title=Results of 1960 Presidential Election Primaries|date=January 12, 2024 |publisher=[[John F. Kennedy Library]]|url=https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/life-of-john-f-kennedy/fast-facts-john-f-kennedy/results-of-1960-presidential-election-primaries}}</ref>
*In the [[1964 Republican Party presidential primaries|1964 Republican presidential primary]], a write-in campaign organized by supporters of former U.S. Senator and vice presidential nominee [[Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.]] won the Republican primaries for president in [[New Hampshire]] defeating the frontrunner candidate [[Barry Goldwater]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Seth|last=Gannon|date=February 8, 2016|title=How Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Won the 1964 New Hampshire Primary Without Lifting a Finger|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2016/02/henry-cabot-lodge-jr-won-the-1964-new-hampshire-primary-as-a-write-in-candidate.html|publisher=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]}}</ref> Lodge also won the Republican presidential primaries in New Jersey as a write-in candidate, as the primaries (for both the Democratic and Republican parties) featured no candidates, with all votes cast requiring candidates' names be written-in (Lodge also received a handful of votes in the Democratic primary).<ref>{{cite web|title=Results of the Primary Election Held April 21, 1964|url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/1920-1970//1964-primary-election.pdf|access-date=August 17, 2022}}</ref>
*In the [[1968 Democratic Party presidential primaries|1968 Democratic presidential primary]] in [[New Hampshire]], incumbent President [[Lyndon Johnson]] did not file, but agreed to have his supporters mount a write-in campaign on his behalf. His write-in campaign received 48% of the votes. Senator [[Eugene McCarthy]], who campaigned actively against Johnson's [[Vietnam War]] policies, was on the ballot and received 42% of the vote. McCarthy's strong showing led [[Withdrawal of Lyndon B. Johnson from the 1968 United States presidential election|Johnson to withdraw from the race]] two and a half weeks later.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/the-night-lyndon-quit/|title=The Night Lyndon Quit|first=George|last=Christian|work=[[Texas Monthly]] |date=April 1988}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=McCarthy nearly upsets LBJ in New Hampshire primary: March 12, 1968|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/mccarthy-nearly-upsets-lbj-in-new-hampshire-primary-march-12-1968-220521|publisher=[[Politico]]|first=Andrew |last=Glass|date=March 12, 2016}}</ref>
*In the [[1992 Democratic presidential primary]] and the [[1992 Republican presidential primary]], [[consumer activism|consumer advocate]] [[Ralph Nader]] ran a write-in campaign during the [[New Hampshire primary]] for the [[presidential nomination]] of both parties. Declaring himself the "[[none of the above]] candidate" and using his [[Concord Principles]] as his platform, Nader received 3,054 votes from [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] and 3,258 votes from [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]].<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=36389 NH US President - R Primary]</ref><ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=36387 NH US President - D Primary]</ref>
*In the [[2024 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary]], incumbent president [[Joe Biden]] received 79,100 write-in votes, more than any listed candidate. Biden did not run in the primary because of a dispute between the [[Democratic National Committee]] and the [[New Hampshire Democratic Party]] regarding the scheduling of that year's Democratic presidential primary.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Woodall |first=Hunter |date=2024-01-24 |title=Why Biden wasn't on the 2024 New Hampshire primary ballot  |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-biden-not-on-new-hampshire-primary-ballot-2024/ |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}}</ref> Biden did not support the write-in effort mounted by his supporters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nichols |first=John |date=2024-01-24 |title=Biden Might Have Had the Best Night of All In New Hampshire |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/joe-biden-new-hampshire-primary-results-analysis/ |access-date=2024-01-25 |language=en-US |issn=0027-8378}}</ref>

===U.S. Senate===
{{multiple image
| total_width = 320
| caption_align = left
| image1 = Governor Strom Thurmond b&w crop.jpg
| image2 = Lisa Murkowski 1 (cropped).jpg
| footer = [[Strom Thurmond]] ([[1954 United States Senate election in South Carolina|South Carolina, 1954]]) and [[Lisa Murkowski]] ([[2010 United States Senate election in Alaska|Alaska, 2010]]) are the only U.S. Senate candidates to win an election via write-in and defeat candidates with ballot access.
| direction = 
}}
*Republican [[William Knowland]] was [[1946 United States Senate election in California|elected in 1946]] to the U.S. Senate from California, for a two-month term. The special election for the two-month term featured a November ballot with no names printed on it, and all candidates in that special election were write-in candidates.<ref name=WashPost-2010-11-03-Wilgoren-Murkowski>Washington Post, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/03/AR2010110302555.html "Murkowski appears to make history in Alaska"], Debbi Wilgoren, November 3, 2010 (accessed November 3, 2010)</ref>
*Democrat [[Strom Thurmond]] was [[1954 South Carolina United States Senate election|elected in 1954]] to the [[United States Senate]] in [[South Carolina]] as a write-in candidate, after state Democratic leaders had blocked him from receiving the party's nomination.<ref name=WashPost-2010-11-03-Wilgoren-Murkowski/>
*In [[2010 United States Senate election in Alaska|2010]] incumbent [[list of United States Senators from Alaska|Alaska Senator]] [[Lisa Murkowski]] lost the Republican primary to [[Joe Miller (Alaska politician)|Joe Miller]].<ref>[https://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/10PRIM/data/results.htm Official election results for the 2010 primaries]. Alaska Division of Elections.</ref> Following her defeat she ran in the general election as a write-in candidate. Murkowski had filed, and won, a lawsuit requiring election officials to have the list of names of write-in candidates distributed at the polls,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/28/lisa-murkowski-can-appear_n_775221.html|work=Huffington Post|title=Lisa Murkowski Can Appear On List Of Write-In Candidates, State Supreme Court Rules|first=Dan|last=Joling|date=October 28, 2010}}</ref> and subsequently won the election with a wide enough margin over both Miller, and [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] candidate [[Scott T. McAdams]], to make moot [[Miller v. Campbell|the write-in ballots that had been challenged by Miller]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2010/11/18/murkowski_becomes_1st_write_in_senator_since_54/|title=Murkowski becomes 1st write-in senator since '54|date=November 18, 2010|first=Becky|last=Bohrer|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=Boston Globe}}</ref>
*In [[2020 United States Senate election in Nebraska|2020]], Chris Janicek won the Democratic Senatorial nomination, but during the campaign he sent out sexually inappropriate text messages to staffers causing the Nebraska Democratic Party to withdraw its support from him.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 16, 2020 |title=Nebraska Democrat Urged to Quit Senate Race Over Sexual Texts to Aide |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/us/politics/chris-janicek-nebraska-senate.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200918014949/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/us/politics/chris-janicek-nebraska-senate.html |archive-date=September 18, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The Nebraska Democratic Party attempted to replace Janicek with Alisha Shelton, but Janicek refused to drop out preventing the replacement. [[Preston Love Jr.]] later announced his intention to run a write-in senatorial campaign and received the support of the Nebraska Democratic Party, making him the first black person to receive the support of a major party for a [[United States Senate]] seat in Nebraska. Both Janicek and Love lost to Republican incumbent [[Ben Sasse]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 10, 2020 |title=Preston Love Jr. announces write-in candidacy against Sen. Ben Sasse |work=[[Omaha World-Herald]] |url=https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/preston-love-jr-announces-write-in-candidacy-against-sen-ben-sasse/article_aa4ec90c-f11b-56e5-be6b-a30eaa5517f7.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200918015154/https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/preston-love-jr-announces-write-in-candidacy-against-sen-ben-sasse/article_aa4ec90c-f11b-56e5-be6b-a30eaa5517f7.html |archive-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 10, 2020 |title=Nebraska Democrats announce Preston Love Jr. as write-in candidate for Senate |work=[[WOWT]] |url=https://www.wowt.com/2020/09/10/nebraska-democrats-announce-preston-love-jr-as-write-in-candidate-for-senate/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200918015608/https://www.wowt.com/2020/09/10/nebraska-democrats-announce-preston-love-jr-as-write-in-candidate-for-senate/ |archive-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 10, 2020 |title=Nebraska Democrats name third pick to replace Senate nominee |work=[[WJAG]] |url=https://norfolkdailynews.com/wjag/news/nebraska-democrats-name-third-pick-to-replace-senate-nominee/article_31ac9b62-f3bc-11ea-9d53-9f76e9f2c766.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200918015705/https://norfolkdailynews.com/wjag/news/nebraska-democrats-name-third-pick-to-replace-senate-nominee/article_31ac9b62-f3bc-11ea-9d53-9f76e9f2c766.html |archive-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref>

===U.S. House of Representatives===
*In 1918, [[Peter F. Tague]] was elected to the U.S. House as a write-in independent Democrat, defeating the Democratic nominee, [[John F. Fitzgerald]].
*In 1930 Republican [[Charles F. Curry Jr.]] was elected to the House as a write-in from Sacramento, California. His father, [[Congress of the United States|Congressman]] [[Charles F. Curry]] Sr., would have been listed on the ballot unopposed but, due to his untimely death, his name was removed and no candidate's name was listed on the ballot.
*In 1958, Democrat [[Dale Alford]] was elected as a write-in candidate to the [[United States House of Representatives]] in Arkansas. As a member of the [[Little Rock School District|Little Rock school board]], Alford launched his write-in campaign a week before the election because the incumbent, [[Brooks Hays]], was involved in the incident in which [[Dwight D. Eisenhower|president Eisenhower]] sent federal troops to enforce [[racial integration]] at [[Central High School (Little Rock)|Little Rock Central High School]]. Racial integration was unpopular at the time, and Alford won by approximately 1,200 votes, a 2% margin.<ref name=Rudin>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5698889|title=What Happens If Lieberman Wins|publisher=[[National Public Radio]]|author=Ken Rudin|newspaper=NPR|date=August 23, 2006|access-date=September 3, 2006}}</ref>
*In 1964 Democrat [[Gale Schisler]] was nominated for Congress in Illinois as a write-in candidate when no Democrat filed to run in the primary election. He defeated incumbent [[Robert McLoskey]] in the November general election.
*In November 1980, Republican [[Joe Skeen]] was elected to Congress in New Mexico as a write-in candidate, because of a [[spoiler candidate]] who also happened to be a write-in. No Republican had filed to run against the incumbent Democrat, [[Harold L. Runnels]], before the close of filing. Runnels died on August 5, 1980, and the Democrats requested a special primary to pick a replacement candidate. The New Mexico Secretary of State allowed the Democrats to have a special primary, but did not allow the Republicans to have a special primary, because they had already gone with no candidate. So Skeen ran as a write-in candidate. After Runnels' widow lost the Democratic special primary, she launched her own write-in candidacy, which [[vote splitting|split the Democratic vote]], taking enough votes from the Democratic nominee to [[spoiler effect|give the election]] to the Republican, Skeen, who won with a 38% [[plurality (voting)|plurality]].<ref name=Rudin/>
*[[Ron Packard]] of California finished in second place in the 18-candidate Republican primary to replace the retiring [[Clair Burgener]]. Packard lost the primary by 92 votes in 1982, and then mounted a write-in campaign as an independent. He won the election with a 37% [[plurality (voting)|plurality]] against both a Republican and a Democratic candidate. Following the elections, he re-aligned himself as a Republican.<ref name=Rudin/>
*Democrat [[Charlie Wilson (Ohio politician)|Charlie Wilson]] was the endorsed candidate of the Democratic Party for [[Ohio's 6th congressional district]] in Ohio to replace [[Ted Strickland]] in 2006. Strickland was running for Governor, and had to give up his congressional seat. Wilson, though, did not qualify for the ballot because only 46 of the 96 signatures on his candidacy petition were deemed valid, while 50 valid signatures were required for ballot placement. The Democratic Party continued to support Wilson, and an expensive primary campaign ensued – over $1 million was spent by both parties. Wilson overwhelmingly won the Democratic primary as a write-in candidate on May 2, 2006, against two Democratic candidates whose names were on the ballot, with Wilson collecting 44,367 votes, 67% of the Democratic votes cast.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=183395|title=Wilson wins primary as write-in candidate|publisher=The Columbus Dispatch|first=Alan|last=Johnson|date=May 3, 2006|access-date=June 30, 2006}}{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Wilson faced [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] Chuck Blasdel in the general election on November 7, 2006, and won, receiving 61% of the votes.
*Democrat [[Dave Loebsack]] entered the 2006 Democratic primary in Iowa's second congressional district as a write-in candidate after failing to get the required number of signatures. He won the primary and in the general election he defeated 15-term incumbent [[Jim Leach]] by a 51% to 49% margin.
*[[Jerry McNerney]] ran as a write-in candidate in the March 2004 Democratic Primary in [[California's 11th congressional district]]. He received 1,667 votes (3% of the votes cast), and, having no opposition (no candidates were listed on the Democratic primary ballot), won the primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2004_primary/congress.pdf|title=Election Results for the March 2004 Primary|publisher=[[Secretary of State of California|California Secretary of State]]|access-date=June 29, 2008|archive-date=June 26, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626073421/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2004_primary/congress.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Although he lost the November 2004 general election to Republican [[Richard Pombo]], McNerney ran again in 2006 (as a candidate listed on the ballot) and won the Democratic Primary in June, and then the rematch against Pombo in November.
*[[Shelley Sekula-Gibbs]] failed as a write-in candidate in the November 7, 2006, election to represent the 22nd Texas congressional district in the [[110th United States Congress|110th Congress]] (for the full term commencing January 3, 2007). The seat had been vacant since June 9, 2006, due to the resignation of the then representative [[Tom DeLay]]. Therefore, on the same ballot, there were two races: one for the 110th Congress, as well as a race for the unexpired portion of the term during the [[109th United States Congress|109th Congress]] (until January 3, 2007). Sekula-Gibbs won the race for the unexpired portion of the term during the 109th Congress as a candidate listed on the ballot. She could not be listed on the ballot for the full term because Texas law did not allow a replacement candidate to be listed on the ballot after the winner of the primary (Tom DeLay) has resigned.
*[[Peter Welch]], a Democrat representing [[Vermont]]'s sole congressional district, became both the Democratic and Republican nominee for the House when he ran for re-election in [[2008 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont|2008]] and [[2016 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont|2016]]. Because the Republicans did not field any candidate on the primary ballot in those elections, Welch won enough write-in votes to win the Republican nomination.<ref name="VT Times Agnus">{{cite news |title=Sanders-loving Vermont lawmaker snags GOP nomination|date=October 7, 2016|first=Heather|last=Caygle|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/peter-welch-vermont-democrat-republican-229251|publisher=[[Politico]]}}</ref>

===State legislatures===
*Several members of the [[Alaska House of Representatives]] were elected as write-in candidates during the 1960s and 1970s, particularly from [[The Bush (Alaska)|rural districts]] in the [[Far North Alaska|northern and western portions of the state]]. Factors in play at the time include the newness of Alaska as a state and the previous absence of electoral politics in many of the rural communities, creating an environment which made it hard to attract candidates to file for office during the official filing period. Most of the areas in question were largely populated by [[Alaska natives]], who held little political power in Alaska at the time. This only began to change following the formation of the [[Alaska Federation of Natives]] and the passage of the [[Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act]]. Known examples of successful write-in candidates include Kenneth A. Garrison and [[Society of Jesus|Father]] [[Segundo Llorente]] (1960), Frank R. Ferguson (1972), James H. "Jimmy" Huntington (1974), and Nels A. Anderson Jr. (1976). The incumbent in Llorente's election, Axel C. Johnson, ran for re-election as a write-in candidate after failing to formally file his candidacy paperwork. Johnson and Llorente, as write-in candidates, both outpolled the one candidate who did appear on the ballot. Ferguson and Anderson were both incumbents who launched their write-in campaigns after being defeated in the [[Partisan primary|primary election]]. Anderson's main opponent, Joseph McGill, had himself won election to the House in 1970 against a write-in candidate by only five votes.
*[[Carl Hawkinson]] of [[Galesburg, Illinois]] won the Republican primary for the [[Illinois Senate]] from Illinois's 47th District in 1986 as a write-in candidate. He went on to be elected in the general election and served until 2003. Hawkinson defeated another write-in, David Leitch, in the primary. Incumbent State Senator Prescott Bloom died in a home fire after the filing date for the primary had passed.
* Arizona state senator [[Don Shooter]] won the 2010 primary as a write-in and went on to win the general election.
*After failing to receive the Republican Party's 1990 [[Wilson Pakula]] nomination, incumbent and registered [[Conservative Party of New York State|Conservative]] New York State Senator [[Serphin Maltese]] won the party's nomination as a write-in candidate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.queensnewyork.com/elections/senateny/maltese.html|title=Serphin R. Maltese R-C;|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref>
*[[Charlotte Burks]] won as a Democratic write-in candidate for the [[Tennessee Senate]] seat left vacant when the incumbent, her husband [[Tommy Burks|Tommy]], was assassinated by his opponent, [[Byron Looper]], two weeks before the elections of November 2, 1998. The assassin was the only name on the ballot, so Charlotte ran as a write-in candidate.
*[[Winnie Brinks]] was elected to the [[Michigan House of Representatives]] in 2012 after a series of unusual events. In May of that year, State Representative Roy Schmidt – who had previously filed to run for re-election as a Democrat – withdrew from the Democratic primary and re-filed as a Republican. A friend of Schmidt's nephew filed to run as a Democrat, but withdrew two days later amid anger among local Democrats. This left Democrats without a candidate. Brinks ran as a write-in to be the Democratic nominee. She won the primary and was listed on the ballot in the general election, which she also won. Coincidentally, the general election also saw a write-in candidate, Bing Goei, receive significant support.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/12/winnie_brinks.html|title=Winnie Brinks takes oath of office as Michigan's 76th District State Representative|work=MLive.com|date=December 9, 2012|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref>
*[[Scott Wagner]] was elected as an anti-establishment Republican write-in candidate to the [[Pennsylvania Senate]] in a March 2014 special election over endorsed Republican nominee [[Ron Miller (Pennsylvania politician)|Ron Miller]] and Democrat Linda Small.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jan|last=Murphy|url=http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/03/york_county_senate_seat_winner.html |title=Scott Wagner makes history with his win in York County Senate race |publisher=PennLive.com |date=March 18, 2014 |access-date=March 19, 2014}}</ref>
*[[Nick Freitas]] was re-elected as a write-in candidate after missing a filing deadline to appear on the ballot in the Virginia House of Delegates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fredericksburg.com/news/local/freitas-write-in-campaign-focused-on-winning-supporting-other-gop/article_0fd0e98b-33e4-5b4d-b25f-d03de9e72ffa.html|title=Freitas write-in campaign focused on winning, supporting other GOP candidates|last=STAR-EXPONENT|first=ALLISON BROPHY CHAMPION CULPEPER|website=Fredericksburg.com|date=August 20, 2019 |language=en|access-date=October 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011001006/https://www.fredericksburg.com/news/local/freitas-write-in-campaign-focused-on-winning-supporting-other-gop/article_0fd0e98b-33e4-5b4d-b25f-d03de9e72ffa.html|archive-date=October 11, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.starexponent.com/news/abundant-spelling-variations-as-culpeper-certifies-write-in-votes-for/article_973fa6db-37d0-567a-9f04-ea6aa56dee9f.html|title=Abundant spelling variations as Culpeper certifies 5,205 write-in votes for Nick Freitas|first1= Allison|last1 =Brophy Champion|publisher= [[Culpeper Star-Exponent]]|date= November 9, 2019}}</ref>
*In November 2024, [[Scott Madon]] won the election as a write-in candidate for the [[Kentucky Senate]]. The incumbent senator, [[Johnnie Turner (Kentucky politician)|Johnnie Turner]], died two weeks before the election. Madon was one of 11 write-in candidates who ran to replace the late Turner, and he won with more the double the votes of his nearest rival.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2024/11/07/pineville-mayor-elected-to-senate|title=Mayor Scott Madon wins write-in campaign to succeed late Kentucky lawmaker|date=November 7, 2024| publisher= [[Spectrum News]]| first= Austin |last=Schick }}</ref>

===Local government===
* Greg Hribal ran as a write-in candidate for village president/mayor of the [[Westchester, Illinois|Village of Westchester in Illinois]] in April of 2023, challenging the five balloted candidates after announcing his intentions 60 days before the election. Greg Hribal took the seat with 26.44% of the votes winning the election with 939 votes over second place Kevin McDermott, who obtained 685 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=|date=2023-04-17 |title=Hribal a write-in winner as Westchester village president - Village Free Press Hribal a write-in winner as Westchester village president |url=https://www.vfpress.news/articles/featured-stories/hribal-a-write-in-winner-as-westchester-village-president/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Village Free Press -}}</ref>
* Angela Allen was elected mayor of [[Tar Heel, North Carolina]] (population 115), as a write-in candidate in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/small-town-has-charm-of-its-own/article_ba841b88-d8ed-5934-96d6-de98ea77c022.html|title=Small town has charm of its own|first=Greg Barnes and MarCharia|last=Henderson}}</ref>
* Julia Allen of [[Readington Township, New Jersey|Readington, New Jersey]], won a write-in campaign in the November 2005 elections for the Township Committee,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/election/2005general/readington.htm#committee|title=2005 General Election results for Hunterdon County}}</ref> after a candidate accused of corruption had won the primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.braac.org/HCN-readington_campaign_violations.pdf|title=Reprint from The Huntington County News|access-date=February 14, 2008|archive-date=February 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216081312/http://www.braac.org/HCN-readington_campaign_violations.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Tom Ammiano]], President of the [[San Francisco Board of Supervisors]], entered the race for mayor of San Francisco as a write-in candidate two weeks before the 1999 general election. He received 25% of the vote, coming in second place and forcing incumbent Mayor [[Willie Brown (politician)|Willie Brown]] into a [[two-round system|runoff election]], which Brown won by margin of 59% to 40%. In 2001, the campaign was immortalized in the award-winning documentary film ''See How They Run''.
* [[John R. Brinkley]] ran as a write-in candidate for governor of Kansas in [[1930 Kansas gubernatorial election|1930]]. He was motivated at least in part by the state's revocation of his medical license and attempts to shut down his clinic, where he performed alternative medical procedures including transplantation of goat glands into humans. He won 29.5% of the vote in a three-way race. Brinkley's medical and political career are documented in Pope Brock's book ''Charlatan''.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/books/31maslin.html?_r=0 Fleecing the Sheep, Who Keep Coming Back for More</ref>
* [[Mike Duggan]] filed petition to run for mayor of [[Detroit]] in 2013; however, following a court challenge, Duggan's name was removed from the ballot. Duggan then campaigned as a write-in in the August 2013 primary, with the intent of being one of the top two vote-getters and thus advancing to the general election in November. Duggan received the highest number of votes in the primary, and advanced to the runoff in November. He eventually defeated challenger Sheriff Benny Napoleon and became the mayor of Detroit.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/07/mike-duggan-detroit-mayor-write-in_n_3721433.html |title=Mike Duggan, Write-In Candidate, Pulls Comeback In Detroit Mayoral Primary |work=Huffington Post |first=Kate |last=Abbeylambertz |date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Donna Frye]] ran as a write-in candidate for mayor of San Diego in 2004. A controversy erupted when several thousand votes for her were not counted because the voters had failed to fill in the bubble next to the write-in line. Had those votes been counted, she would have won the election.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/12/25/medias_role_clouds_san_diego_recount/|title=Media's role clouds San Diego recount |work=The Boston Globe |first=James|last=Rainey|date=December 25, 2004}}</ref>
* [[Michael Jarjura]] was re-elected mayor of [[Waterbury, Connecticut]], in 2005 as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic party primary to Karen Mulcahy, who used to serve as Waterbury's tax collector before Jarjura fired her in 2004 "for what he claimed was her rude and abusive conduct toward citizens".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=3947552&nav=3YeX|title=Waterbury mayor to wage write-in campaign}}</ref> After spending $100,000 on a general elections write-in campaign,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waterburyobserver.com/worxcms_published/recent_stories_94.shtml|title=The Waterbury Observer – The Write Stuff<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=August 22, 2006|archive-date=August 28, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060828080648/http://www.waterburyobserver.com/worxcms_published/recent_stories_94.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> Jarjura received 7,907 votes, enough for a plurality of 39%.<ref>[http://web.wtnh.com/2005vote/race192.html News Channel 8 / 2005 Vote Election Results<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* James Maher won the mayorship of [[Baxter Estates, New York]], on March 15, 2005, as a write-in candidate with 29 votes. Being the only one on the ballot, the incumbent mayor, James Neville, did not campaign, as he did not realize that there was a write-in campaign going on. Neville received only 13 votes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.antonnews.com/portwashingtonnews/2005/04/01/news/elections.html|title=Baxter Estates Mayor James Neville "Stunned" by Write-in Defeat|first=Dolores|last=Kazanjian O'Brien|publisher=Port Washington News|date=April 1, 2005|access-date=June 30, 2006}}</ref>
* Beverly O'Neil won a third term as Mayor of [[Long Beach, California]], as a write-in candidate in 2002. The Long Beach City City Charter has a [[term limit]] amendment that says a candidate cannot be on the ballot after two full terms, but does not prevent the person from running as a write-in candidate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://longbeach.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=186782&GUID=E700C5E7-4A2C-46FB-9E0B-EAE13A1063B2&Options=&Search=|title=City of Long Beach – File #: 07-0089|author=Darius Tajanko|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref> She finished first in a seven-candidate primary, but did not receive more than 50% of the vote, forcing a runoff contest. In the runoff, still restricted from the ballot, she got roughly 47% of the vote in a three-way election that included a second write-in candidate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_3942287 |title=Legacy of a Legend |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909023543/http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_3942287 |archive-date=September 9, 2012 |publisher=Long Beach Press-Telegram}}</ref>
* [[Michael Sessions]], an 18-year-old high school senior, won as a write-in candidate for Mayor of [[Hillsdale, Michigan]], in 2005. He was too young to qualify for the ballot.
* In 2021, [[Byron Brown]], the incumbent mayor of [[Buffalo, New York]], defeated [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] challenger [[India Walton]] in the general election, by running a successful write-in campaign after losing the Democratic primary to Walton.<ref>[[2021 Buffalo mayoral election]]</ref>
* In [[Galesburg, Illinois]], an error by the Galesburg Election Commission<ref name="wgil.com">http://www.wgil.com/newsarchive.php?xnewsaction=fullnews&newsarch=012011&newsid=150 {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> in late 2010 gave city council candidate Chuck Reynolds the wrong number of signatures he required to be on the ballot for the April 2011 city council election,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1958454815/Election-commission-upholds-challenge |title=Election commission upholds challenge - Galesburg, IL - the Register-Mail |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123185830/http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1958454815/Election-commission-upholds-challenge |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=}}</ref> resulting in his removal from the ballot when challenged by incumbent Russell Fleming.<ref name="wgil.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.galesburg.com/news/x703876634/Election-commission-delays-announcement |title=Election commission delays announcement - Galesburg, IL - the Register-Mail |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123214030/http://www.galesburg.com/news/x703876634/Election-commission-delays-announcement |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=}}</ref> Reynolds ran as a write-in vote<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1254713692/Reynolds-will-run-as-write-in-for-city-council-Ward-3 |title=Reynolds will run as write-in for city council Ward 3 - Galesburg, IL - the Register-Mail |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124000517/http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1254713692/Reynolds-will-run-as-write-in-for-city-council-Ward-3 |archive-date=January 24, 2013 |url-status=}}</ref> in the April 2011 election, and lost by nine votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.galesburg.com/x481356899/Recount-for-Galesburg-City-Council-Ward-3-seat-possible|title=Recount for Galesburg City Council Ward 3 seat possible|author=ERIC TIMMONS|work=The Register-Mail|access-date=April 15, 2016|archive-date=March 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325021747/http://www.galesburg.com/x481356899/recount-for-galesburg-city-council-ward-3-seat-possible|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.galesburg.com/news/x528727041/Final-count-confirms-Fleming-s-victory-for-Ward-3-council-seat |title=Final count confirms Fleming's victory for Ward 3 council seat - Galesburg, IL - the Register-Mail |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123152136/http://www.galesburg.com/news/x528727041/Final-count-confirms-Fleming-s-victory-for-Ward-3-council-seat |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=}}</ref>
* [[Anthony A. Williams]], then incumbent Mayor of Washington, D.C., was forced to run as a write-in candidate in the 2002 Democratic primary, because he had too many invalid signatures for his petition. He won the Democratic primary, and went on to win re-election.
* In the November 8, 2011, election for [[Commonwealth's Attorney]] of [[Richmond County, Virginia]], 16-year incumbent Wayne Emery was certified the winner as a write-in candidate over challenger James Monroe by a margin of 53 votes (2.4%) out of 2,230 votes cast, after his petitions were challenged and his name was removed from the ballot.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/nov/10/tdmet03-richmond-county-write-in-campaign-workedma-ar-1448412 |title=Richmond County write-in campaign worked…maybe - Richmond Times-Dispatch: News: News, state_regional, govt_politics |access-date=November 11, 2011 |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204093359/http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/nov/10/tdmet03-richmond-county-write-in-campaign-workedma-ar-1448412 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* In the August 4, 2020, primary election of [[Ypsilanti Township, Michigan]], Monica Ross-Williams, a then Ypsilanti Township Trustee,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.secondwavemedia.com/concentrate/devnews/westwillowtraffic0495.aspx |title=West Willow neighborhood committee tackles traffic safety issues near American Center for Mobility |website=Concentrate |date=March 20, 2019 |first=Sarah |last=Rigg}}</ref> received 3,478 write-in votes for Ypsilanti Township Clerk, for the highest number of write-in votes in any election in Washtenaw County, Michigan history.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://electionresults.ewashtenaw.org/electionreporting/aug2020/index.jsp |title=Washtenaw County Government AUGUST 4, 2020 STATE PRIMARY ELECTION |date=August 4, 2020 |website=Washtenaw County Government}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=August 2020}}
* In the 1997 election for Mayor of [[Talkeetna, Alaska]], [[Stubbs (cat)|Stubbs the Cat]] won over the two human candidates. He was re-elected every mayoral election thereafter, and served until his death on July 2, 2017.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2012/07/17/cat-marks-15-years-as-mayor-of-alaska-town/|title=Cat Marks 15 Years as Mayor of Alaska Town |publisher=[[Time Magazine]] |date=July 17, 2012|first=Amy|last=Friedman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/24/stubbs-cat-mayor-alaskan-town-talkeetna-20-years-dies-margarita|title=Feline sad: cat who was 'mayor' of Alaskan town for 20 years dies|work=[[The Guardian]] |date=July 23, 2017}}</ref>
* In 2011, in [[Pacific, Washington]], Marine veteran Cy Sun ousted incumbent mayor Rich Hildreth as a write-in candidate, using a comprehensive ground game in the small town to convince locals to support him over Hildreth, whom he accused of corruption. After the election, the county elections office reported that a sufficient number of write-ins votes had made it possible that a write-in could win,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.auburn-reporter.com/news/hildreth-has-early-lead-in-race-for-pacific-mayor/|access-date=December 15, 2020|date=November 9, 2011|title=Hildreth has early lead in race for Pacific mayor|work=Auburn Reporter}}</ref> and after a count of the write-ins, Sun beat Hildreth by 464 to 401.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nwasianweekly.com/2012/03/pacifics-new-mayor-wins-by-write-in-months-later-faces-controversy-over-medals/|access-date=December 15, 2020|date=March 22, 2012|title=Pacific's new mayor wins by write-in — months later, faces controversy over medals|work=Northwest Asian Weekly}}</ref> Sun's mayorship was plagued by political and physical challenges, and Sun would be recalled in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.q13fox.com/news/vote-certified-pacific-mayor-cy-sun-recalled-new-mayor-to-be-named-thursday|access-date=December 15, 2020|date=July 9, 2013|title=Vote certified: Pacific Mayor Cy Sun recalled; new mayor to be named Thursday|work=Q13 Fox|last=Cihon|first=Brett}}</ref>
* [[Eau Claire County, Wisconsin]] [[sheriff]] Ron Cramer,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.co.eau-claire.wi.us/departments/departments-l-z/sheriff|title=Sheriff - Eau Claire County|website=www.co.eau-claire.wi.us}}</ref> formerly a sheriff's deputy, won election as Eau Claire County's 47th sheriff, defeating disgraced 10-year incumbent sheriff Richard M. Hewitt in a write-in campaign hastily organized just weeks before the election in 1996. He has handily won reelection every four years since, usually running unopposed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.leadertelegram.com/News/Front-Page/2018/05/08/div-class-libPageBodyLinebreak-Cramer-in-the-running-again-div.html|title=Cramer in the running again for Eau Claire County sheriff|first=Christena T. |last=O'Brien|date=May 8, 2018|publisher=[[Eau Claire Leader-Telegram]]}}</ref>
* Lynda Neuwirth defeated the lone candidate on the ballot, Joseph DiPasquale, for the [[Ellicottville (village), New York|Ellicottville, New York]] [[justice of the peace|village justice]] position on March 19, 2019; Neuwirth received three votes to DiPasquale's two.<ref>{{cite news|first=Andy|last=Paulsen|url=http://wesb.com/write-in-candidate-wins-by-one-vote-in-ellicottville/|title=Write-in Candidate Wins By One Vote in Ellicottville|work=[[WESB]]|date=March 19, 2019|access-date=March 19, 2019}}</ref> Neuwirth was ousted after only two months in the position, as voters had approved a referendum abolishing the court the previous November; when the abolition was delayed two months, Neuwirth was not allowed to retain her seat and was replaced by a justice from [[Ellicottville (town), New York|the surrounding town]], which will absorb the village court's jurisdiction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oleantimesherald.com/olean/as-ellicottville-village-court-is-dissolved-town-courts-will-add/article_1cb6458a-f99c-549a-97fa-3996f335104b.html|title=As Ellicottville Village Court is dissolved, town courts will add to judicial duties|work=Olean Times Herald|date=July 23, 2019|access-date=July 23, 2019}}</ref>
* Lon Lafferty won as a write-in for the [[Martin County, Kentucky]] Judge Executive election in 2022, defeating four other write-in candidates—Marlena Slone, Jimmy Don Kerr, Benjamin York and Mitchell Crum—with approximately 60% of the vote. This election was solely decided by write-in—the first election in Martin County's history in which all of the candidates were write-ins—after the previous Judge Executive, Colby Kirk, resigned from office and withdrew his candidacy three weeks before the election to take over as President/CEO of economic development organization One East Kentucky. ([[Governor of Kentucky|Governor]] [[Andy Beshear]] had appointed Lafferty to fill the seat for the remaining two months of Kirk's term.)<ref>{{cite news|title=Interim Judge-Executive Lon Lafferty wins historic Martin County Judge-Executive election|url=https://www.wymt.com/2022/11/09/interim-judge-executive-lon-lafferty-wins-historic-martin-county-judge-executive-election/|author=Kirstin Baum|website=[[WYMT]]|date=November 9, 2022|access-date=December 16, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Write-in candidate selected by Gov. Andy Beshear to fill remainder of Martin County Judge Executive's term|url=https://www.wymt.com/2022/10/27/write-in-candidate-selected-by-gov-andy-beshear-fill-remainder-martin-county-judge-executives-term/|author=Brandon Robinson|website=WYMT|date=October 27, 2022|access-date=December 16, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231216151619/https://www.wymt.com/2022/10/27/write-in-candidate-selected-by-gov-andy-beshear-fill-remainder-martin-county-judge-executives-term/ |archive-date=December 16, 2023 }}</ref>

===Other elections===
*[[Aaron Schock]] was elected to the District 150 School Board in [[Peoria, Illinois]], in 2001 by a write-in vote, after his petitions were challenged and his name was removed from the ballot. He defeated the incumbent by over 2,000 votes, approximately 6,400 to 4,300 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aaronschock.com/about.htm|title=Biography - School Board Write-in Campaign |website=Aaron Schock |access-date=September 27, 2006|archive-date=November 6, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061106183947/http://aaronschock.com/about.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> He went on to serve in the [[Illinois House of Representatives]], and was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]] in 2008. He was later forced to resign in an expenses scandal.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/03/17/rep-aaron-schock-plans-to-resign-in-wake-of-spending-probe |url-access=subscription |title=Rep. Aaron Schock announces resignation in wake of spending probe|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=March 18, 2015|first1=Mike|last1=DeBonis |first2=Robert |last2=Costa |first3=Paul |last3=Kane |date=March 17, 2015}}</ref>
*John Adams became an [[Orange County, California]] judge in November 2002 after running along with 10 other write-in candidates in the primaries on March 5, 2002, against incumbent Judge Ronald Kline.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/03/06/california.primary/index.html|title='Fight' seen in California's governor's race|publisher=CNN|date=March 6, 2002|access-date=March 30, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123204655/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/03/06/california.primary/index.html|archive-date=January 23, 2009}}</ref> After the filing deadline in which no candidate filed to run against Kline, a computer hacker discovered that Judge Kline had child pornography on his home computer. Kline got less than 50% of the vote in the primaries, requiring a runoff between him and write-in candidate John Adams (who actually received more votes than Kline).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oc.ca.gov/election/Live/e2/result2.htm#c2721|title=Orange County Registrar of Voters Election Results for March 5, 2002}}</ref> After some legal maneuvers, Kline's name was removed from the general elections, leaving the general election a runoff between Adams and Gay Sandoval, who was the second highest write-in vote getter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oc.ca.gov/election/Live/e5/result5.htm#c2721|title=Orange County Registrar of Voters Election Results for November 5, 2002|access-date=December 8, 2005|archive-date=March 6, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050306131810/http://www.oc.ca.gov/election/Live/E5/result5.htm#c2721|url-status=dead}}</ref> Charges against Kline were eventually thrown out.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irvineworldnews.com/Astories/oct30/kline.htm|title=Case against ex-judge Kline gutted|publisher=Irvine World News|date=October 30, 2003|access-date=June 30, 2006|first=Rachanee|last=Srisavasdi}}</ref>
*On September 15, 2009, four write-in candidates in the [[United States Independence Party|Independence Party]] primaries for various offices in [[Putnam County, New York]], defeated their on-ballot opponents.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.putnamcountycourier.com/news/2009-10-01/Front_Page/A_Reversal_of_Fortune_for_Interim_Independence_Par.html|title=A Reversal of Fortune for Interim Independence Party|date=October 1, 2009|publisher=The Putnam County Courier|first=Michael Brendan|last=Dougherty|access-date=November 27, 2009|archive-date=July 15, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715133910/http://www.putnamcountycourier.com/news/2009-10-01/Front_Page/A_Reversal_of_Fortune_for_Interim_Independence_Par.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*In a May 2011 school board election for the [[Bentley Community Schools|Bentley School]] Board in Michigan, Lisa Osborn ran as a write-in candidate and needed just one vote to win a seat. However, she did not receive any votes, even from herself. She explained herself by saying that she was at her son's baseball game and did not have time to go to the polls.<ref>{{cite web |last=Acosta|first=Roberto|title=School board candidate loses election because she didn't vote for herself; calls not voting a 'dumb move'|date=May 11, 2011|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2011/05/bentley_school_board_candidate.html|publisher=Mlive.com|access-date=November 2, 2011}}</ref>

===California's Proposition 14 impact on write-in candidates===
In 2010, California voters passed [[California Proposition 14 (2010)|Proposition 14]] which set up a new election system for the [[United States Senate]], [[United States House of Representatives]], all statewide offices ([[Governor of California|governor]], [[Lieutenant Governor of California|lieutenant governor]], [[Secretary of State of California|secretary of state]], [[California State Treasurer|state treasurer]], [[California State Controller|state controller]], [[California Attorney General|attorney general]], [[California Insurance Commissioner|insurance commissioner]], and [[California State Superintendent of Public Instruction|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 (the primary{{efn|Prior to 2020, the primary was held in June. Since 2020, the primary has been alternating between March and June, with March being the month held in years divisible by 4, and June in years not divisble by 4.}}) advance to a second round (the general election, held in November). Proposition 14 specifically prohibits write-in candidates in the second round, and this prohibition was upheld in a court challenge.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blogs.findlaw.com/california_case_law/2011/09/court-upholds-prop-14-bans-on-write-in-votes-unqualified-parties.html|title=Court Upholds Prop 14 Bans on Write-In Votes, Unqualified Parties|first=Robyn|last=Hagan Cain|date=September 21, 2011 |website=FindLaw |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210731103639/https://blogs.findlaw.com/california_case_law/2011/09/court-upholds-prop-14-bans-on-write-in-votes-unqualified-parties.html |archive-date= Jul 31, 2021 }}</ref> Another court challenge to the prohibition on write-in candidates in the second round was filed in July 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/30/6594480/lawsuit-challenges-write-in-rules.html|title=Lawsuit challenges write-in rules under California's top-two system|date=July 30, 2014|first=Christopher|last=Cadelago|publisher=[[Sacramento Bee]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812165038/http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/30/6594480/lawsuit-challenges-write-in-rules.html |archive-date= Aug 12, 2014 }}</ref>

Although Proposition 14 prohibits write-in candidates in the second round of voting, it has created conditions that can  make 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 second spot, not with any listed candidates. In some [[jungle primary]] systems, if the winner in the first round wins by more than 50% of the vote, then the second (runoff) round gets cancelled, but in the system set up by Proposition 14, a second (runoff) round is required regardless of the percent of the vote that the winner of the first round received. Proposition 14 therefore guarantees that if only one candidate is listed on the ballot in the first round, a write-in candidate running against the one listed candidate can earn a spot for the second round with as little as one vote.{{efn|In the [[2012 California State Senate election#District 33|June 2012 election]], write-in candidate Lee H. Chauser running in the [[California's 33rd State Senate district|33rd Senate District]] won a spot in the runoff race with as few as 3 votes.<ref>[https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2012-primary/pdf/2012-complete-sov.pdf Official election results for the 2012 California primary]</ref>}}

The first election in which Proposition 14 went into effect was the [[June 2012 California elections|2012 elections]].
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="margin:1em auto;"
!colspan="9"|California elections in which primary election write-in candidates advanced to the general election
|-
!rowspan="2"|Year
!rowspan="2"|Number of write-in candidates who successfully made it to the November general election
!rowspan="2"|Offices for which write-in candidates successfully made it to the November general election
!colspan="4"|General election results for candidates who qualified as write-in candidates in the primaries
!colspan="2"|Links to election results
|-
! Wins
! Max
! Average
! Min
! Primary (March/June)
! General (November)
|-
|[[June 2012 California elections|2012]]
|align=center|5
| [[California's 3rd State Senate district|SD3]], [[California's 9th State Senate district|SD9]], [[California's 33rd State Senate district|SD33]], [[California's 15th State Assembly district|AD15]], [[California's 31st State Assembly district|AD31]]
|align=center|0
|align=center|36.0%
|align=center|23.4%
|align=center|13.2%
|align=center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/prior-elections/statewide-election-results/presidential-primary-election-june-5-2012/statement-vote/|title=Presidential Primary Election – Statement of Vote, June 5, 2012 |website=California Secretary of State}}</ref>
|align=center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/prior-elections/statewide-election-results/general-election-november-6-2012/statement-vote/|title=General Election – Statement of Vote, November 6, 2012 |website=California Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|[[2014 California elections|2014]]
|align=center|16<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-write-in-candidates-20140722-story.html|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 22, 2014|first=Jean|last=Merl|title=Some June write-in candidates made it to the November ballot}}</ref>
| [[California's 23rd congressional district|CD23]], [[California's 44th congressional district|CD44]], [[California Board of Equalization#Third district|BOE3]], [[California's 16th State Senate district|SD16]], [[California's 22nd State Senate district|SD22]], [[California's 36th State Senate district|SD36]], [[California's 5th State Assembly district|AD5]], [[California's 14th State Assembly district|AD14]], [[California's 21st State Assembly district|AD21]], [[California's 31st State Assembly district|AD31]], [[California's 41st State Assembly district|AD41]], [[California's 51st State Assembly district|AD51]], [[California's 60th State Assembly district|AD60]], [[California's 67th State Assembly district|AD67]], [[California's 75th State Assembly district|AD75]], [[California's 76th State Assembly district|AD76]]
|align=center|0
|align=center|46.6%
|align=center|31.3%
|align=center|13.3%
|align=center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/prior-elections/statewide-election-results/statewide-direct-primary-election-june-3-2014/statement-vote/|title=Statewide Direct Primary Election – Statement of Vote, June 3, 2014 |website=California Secretary of State}}</ref>
|align=center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/prior-elections/statewide-election-results/general-election-november-4-2014/statement-vote/|title=General Election – Statement of Vote – November 4, 2014 |website=California Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
|[[June 2016 California elections|2016]]
|align=center|15{{efn|In [[California's 62nd State Assembly district|AD62]], two write-in candidates received an equal number of votes (32), and tied for second place against the first-place finisher, incumbent [[Autumn Burke]]. Therefore, the two write-in candidates advanced to the general election within one race <ref>{{cite news|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date= July 11, 2016|url= https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-essential-politics-updates-write-in-legislative-candidates-win-a-1467920806-htmlstory.html|title= Write-in legislative candidates win spots on the November ballot, in some cases with only a handful of votes|first=John|last= Myers}}</ref>}}
| [[California's 14th congressional district|CD14]], [[California's 33rd State Senate district|SD33]], [[California's 1st State Assembly district|AD1]], [[California's 2nd State Assembly district|AD2]], [[California's 7th State Assembly district|AD7]], [[California's 32nd State Assembly district|AD32]], [[California's 46th State Assembly district|AD46]], [[California's 49th State Assembly district|AD49]], [[California's 51st State Assembly district|AD51]], [[California's 58th State Assembly district|AD58]], [[California's 62nd State Assembly district|AD62]], [[California's 70th State Assembly district|AD70]], [[California's 73rd State Assembly district|AD73]], [[California's 76th State Assembly district|AD76]]
|align=center|0
|align=center|43.9%
|align=center|28.5%<br />{{efn|name="AD 62 note"|Data is for the 14 distinct races in which the results for the two write-in candidates who advanced in AD62, one of whom received 17.2% and the other received 5.6%, are summed up to 22.8%. When treating the two candidates in AD62 as distinct candidates and averaging over 15 candidates, the average goes down to 26.6% and the min (obviously) drops to 5.6%}}
|align=center|13.9%<br />{{efn|name="AD 62 note"}}
|align=center|<ref>[http://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2016-primary/2016-complete-sov.pdf California Secretary of State, "Statement of Vote June 7, 2016 Presidential Primary Election"].</ref>
|align=center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2016-general/sov/2016-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote November 8, 2016 General Election |website=California Secretary of State }}</ref>
|-
|[[2018 California elections|2018]]
|align=center|12
| [[California's 13th congressional district|CD13]], [[California's 19th congressional district|CD19]], [[California's 32nd congressional district|CD32]], [[California's 4th State Assembly district|AD4]], [[California's 7th State Assembly district|AD7]], [[California's 20th State Assembly district|AD20]], [[California's 21st State Assembly district|AD21]], [[California's 27th State Assembly district|AD27]], [[California's 51st State Assembly district|AD51]], [[California's 61st State Assembly district|AD61]], [[California's 64th State Assembly district|AD64]], [[California's 69th State Assembly district|AD69]]
|align=center|0
|align=center|32.6%
|align=center|23.6%
|align=center|11.6%
|align=center|<ref>[http://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2018-primary/sov/2018-complete-sov.pdf California Secretary of State, "Statement of Vote June 5, 2018 | Statewide Direct Primary Election"].</ref>
|align=center|<ref>[https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2018-general/sov/2018-complete-sov.pdf California Secretary of State results for the November 2018 general statewide elections]</ref>
|-
|[[2020 California elections|2020]]
|align=center|11
| [[California's 3rd State Senate district|SD3]], [[California's 9th State Senate district|SD9]], [[California's 25th State Senate district|SD25]], [[California's 31st State Senate district|SD31]], [[California's 33rd State Senate district|SD33]], [[California's 39th State Senate district|SD39]], [[California's 7th State Assembly district|AD7]], [[California's 11th State Assembly district|AD11]], [[California's 17th State Assembly district|AD17]], [[California's 21st State Assembly district|AD21]], [[California's 45th State Assembly district|AD45]]
|align=center|0
|align=center|41.0%
|align=center|30.8%
|align=center|11.1%
|align=center|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-primary/complete-sov.pdf |title=California Secretary of State results for the March 2020 primary statewide elections |access-date=May 7, 2020 |archive-date=May 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517221055/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-primary/complete-sov.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|align=center|<ref>[https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-general/sov/complete-sov.pdf California Secretary of State results for the November 2020 general statewide elections]</ref>
|-
|[[2022 California elections|2022]]
|align=center|11
| [[California's 24th State Senate district|SD24]], [[California's 26th State Senate district|SD26]], [[California's 8th State Assembly district|AD8]], [[California's 9th State Assembly district|AD9]], [[California's 14th State Assembly district|AD14]], [[California's 18th State Assembly district|AD18]], [[California's 41st State Assembly district|AD41]], [[California's 43rd State Assembly district|AD43]], [[California's 48th State Assembly district|AD48]], [[California's 54th State Assembly district|AD54]], [[California's 59th State Assembly district|AD59]]
|align=center|0
|align=center|40.0%
|align=center|25.8%
|align=center|10.1%
|align=center|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-primary/sov/complete.pdf|title=California Secretary of State results for the June 2022 primary statewide elections |access-date=July 16, 2022}}</ref>
|align=center|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/complete.pdf|title=California Secretary of State results for the November 2022 general statewide elections |access-date=December 18, 2022}}</ref>
|-
|[[2024 California elections|2024]]
|align=center|5
| [[California's 4th State Assembly district|AD4]], [[California's 20th State Assembly district|AD20]], [[California's 32nd State Assembly district|AD32]], [[California's 45th State Assembly district|AD45]], [[California's 65th State Assembly district|AD65]]
|align=center|0
|align=center|40.9%{{efn|In [[California's 32nd State Assembly district|AD32]], [[Bakersfield]] City Councilman Ken Weir received only 40.9% of the vote in the general election (as a candidate listed on the ballot after winning the primary as a write-in candidate), losing to Congressman [[Vince Fong]] who had dropped out of the race, but was unable to remove his name from the ballot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sjvsun.com/news/politics/fong-won-two-elections-on-tuesday-who-might-take-over-his-old-assembly-seat/|title=Fong won two elections on Tuesday. Who might take over his old Assembly seat?|last=Gligich|first=Daniel|date=November 6, 2024|access-date=November 10, 2024|website=San Joaquin Valley Sun}}</ref> Since Fong did not take the seat although he won the election (as Fong also won an election for Congress held on the same day), [[2025 California's 32nd State Assembly district special election|a special election was called to fill the vacancy]]. Weir did not run in the special election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.kget.com/news/politics/your-local-elections/4-candidates-file-to-run-in-special-election-for-vacant-assembly-seat/|title=4 candidates file to run in special election for vacant Assembly seat|date=January 2, 2025|publisher=[[KGET-TV]]|first=Jenny|last=Huh}}</ref>}}
|align=center|33.4%
|align=center|27.1%
|align=center|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2024-primary/sov/complete-sov-updated.pdf|title=California Secretary of State results for the March 2024 primary statewide elections |access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref>
|align=center|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2024-general/sov/complete-sov.pdf|title=California Secretary of State results for the November 2024 general statewide elections |access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref>
|}

==Other countries==
With a few exceptions, the practice of recognizing write-in candidates is typically viewed internationally as a tradition in the [[politics of the United States|United States]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/WolfFiles/story?id=91051&page=1|title=Donald Duck's a Big Bird in Politics|author=<!--Not stated-->|work=ABC News|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/212163.stm |work=BBC News |title=Livingstone threatens write-in campaign |date=November 11, 1998}}</ref>

*A bizarre incident involving a fictitious write-in candidacy occurred in the small town of [[Picoazá]], Ecuador, in 1967. A company ran a series of campaign-themed advertisements for a foot powder called Pulvapies. Some of the slogans used included "Vote for any candidate, but if you want well-being and hygiene, vote for Pulvapies", and "For Mayor: Honorable Pulvapies". The foot powder Pulvapies ended up receiving the most votes in the election.<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/1967/07/18/archives/foot-powder-produces-headaches-in-ecuador.html Foot Powder Produces Headaches in Ecuador]." ''[[The New York Times]]''. July 18, 1967. Page 39. Retrieved December 19, 2009.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/footpowder.asp|title=Foot Powder Ecuador Election Result|author=David Mikkelson|date=December 10, 2009|work=snopes|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref><ref>"Foot Powder Wins Election Hands Down." ''[[The Washington Post]]''. July 18, 1967 (p. A13).</ref>
*In Brazil, until the introduction of [[electronic voting]] in 1994, the ballot had no names written for [[legislative]] candidates, so many voters would protest by voting on fictional characters or religious figures. In a famous case, the [[São Paulo Zoo|São Paulo city zoo]] rhinoceros ''[[Cacareco]]'' got around 100,000 votes in the 1959 elections for the [[Municipal Chamber of São Paulo|municipal council]], more than any candidate.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ferreira|first=Neil|title=Cacareco agora é Excelência|url=http://www.memoriaviva.com.br/ocruzeiro/24101959/241059_8.htm|work=O Cruzeiro|access-date=October 20, 2012}}</ref> However, those votes were not considered because Brazilian law stipulates that a candidate must be affiliated to a political party to take office.
* Until 2013,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sudouest.fr/2014/03/21/elections-municipales-tout-ce-que-vous-devez-savoir-avant-d-aller-dans-l-isoloir-1499247-6035.php|title=Élections municipales : tout ce que vous devez savoir avant d'aller dans l'isoloir |author=P.-YC |date=March 22, 2014 |work=SudOuest.fr |language=fr |quote=La loi du 17 mai 2013 a instauré plusieurs changements dans le scrutin municipal ... Dans les communes de plus de 1000 habitants ... il y a désormais interdiction de voter pour un candidat non déclaré. ...[D]ans une commune de moins de 1000 habitants, ... il est désormais interdit de voter pour une personne qui n'est pas candidate. |access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref> write-in candidates were permitted at [[municipal elections in France]] for councils of [[Communes of France|commune]]s with a population of less than 2500.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leparisien.fr/politique/peut-on-voter-pour-quelqu-un-qui-n-est-pas-candidat-29-02-2008-3296094877.php |language=fr |title=Peut-on voter pour quelqu'un qui n'est pas candidat ?|date=February 29, 2008|work=[[Le Parisien]]|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Elections in Sweden]] are [[open list]], with voters placing into the ballot box an envelope containing their choice of either a ballot preprinted with the name of a registered party or else a blank ballot on which they write the name of a party (registered or unregistered) and optionally that of a candidate.<ref name="Regeringskansliet">{{cite web|url=http://www.erdda.se/datafiles/nordic/elref/1997/Elections_Act_1997.pdf|title=Elections Act 157:1997|publisher=Regeringskansliet|no-pp=y|pages=Chapter 6, sections 3 and 5; Chapter 9, section 12; Chapter 16, section 2, No.3|language=en|access-date=May 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2014/sep/11/swedish-elections-sweden-votes-2014-key-facts|title=Swedish elections 2014: seven point guide to the key facts|last=Nardelli|first=Alberto|date=September 11, 2014|work=[[TheGuardian.com]]|access-date=May 5, 2018}}; {{cite web|url=https://www.val.se/servicelankar/other-languages/english-engelska/the-examination-of-ballot-papers.html|title=The examination of ballot papers -|publisher=[[Valmyndigheten]]|access-date=May 5, 2018|archive-date=May 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506104237/https://www.val.se/servicelankar/other-languages/english-engelska/the-examination-of-ballot-papers.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> A person must consent to being a candidate listed on a preprinted ballot, but there was no such obligation for write-in names until [[2018 Swedish general election|the 2018 general election]].<ref name="Regeringskansliet"/><ref name="KrimmerVolkamer2017">
{{cite conference |year=2017 |editor1-last=Krimmer |editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Volkamer |editor2-first=Melanie |editor3-last=Binder |editor3-first=Nadja Braun |editor4-last=Kersting |editor4-first=Norbert |editor5-last=Pereira |editor5-first=Olivier |editor6-last=Schürmann |editor6-first=Carsten |last1=Wikström |first1=Douglas |last2=Barrat |first2=Jordi |last3=Heiberg |first3=Sven |last4=Krimmer |first4=Robert |last5=Schürmann |first5=Carsten
 |title=How Could Snowden Attack an Election? |series=LNCS (Lecture notes in computer science) |volume=10615 |pages=280–291 : 290 |issn=0302-9743 |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-68687-5_17 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PdQ5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA290 |isbn=9783319686875 |publisher=Springer |conference=Electronic Voting: Second International Joint Conference, E-Vote-ID 2017, Bregenz, Austria, October 24–27, 2017, Proceedings |access-date=May 8, 2018 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>  In the [[2006 Swedish municipal elections|2006 municipal elections]], the [[Sweden Democrats]] (SD) won seats on several councils where they had no nominee or preprinted ballots; most SD voters wrote the party name but no candidate name. The seats were filled by the name most often written, if any, and left empty if no voter wrote in a name. One example was [[Vårgårda Municipality]], where only 3 of 143 SD voters wrote in names, of which two were for an ineligible non-resident; the winner resigned his seat as he opposed the SD and his sole vote was cast by his father as a joke.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=95&artikel=952463 |title=Sverigedemokrat i Vårgårda tvekar |language=sv |work=[[Sveriges Radio]] |date=September 27, 2006 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}; {{cite web |last1=O'Mahony |first1=Paul |title=Dad's practical joke turns trucker into politician |url=https://www.thelocal.se/20060928/5052 |website=[[The Local]] |language=en |access-date=January 15, 2019 |date=September 28, 2006}}</ref> [[2010 Swedish municipal elections|In 2010]] one Jimmy Åkesson was elected to [[Staffanstorp Municipality]] council after a single SD voter wrote his name. The voter apparently intended SD leader [[Jimmie Åkesson]], not resident in Staffanstorp.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nyheter24.se/nyheter/politik/729889-jimmy-akesson-kan-tvingas-representera-sd|title=Jimmy Åkesson kan tvingas representera SD|last=Adolfsson|first=Viktor|date=October 25, 2012|work=Nyheter24|language=sv|access-date=May 5, 2018}}</ref>
* In [[elections in Austria]], writing on a ballot paper does not invalidate a vote provided the voter's preference is clear ([[Open list]]). In the [[1990 Austrian legislative election|1990 legislative election]] the unpopular [[Social Democratic Party of Austria|SPÖ]], worried that voters would not select it on the [[Party-list proportional representation|party-list]] ballot, advised them to write in the name of [[Franz Vranitzky]], its popular leader. Such ballots would be interpreted as SPÖ votes.<ref name="Höbelt2003">{{cite book|last=Höbelt|first=Lothar|title=Defiant Populist: Jörg Haider and the Politics of Austria|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qrsgaVfsUKAC&pg=PA68|access-date=May 11, 2018|year=2003|publisher=Purdue University Press|isbn=9781557532305|page=68}}</ref> A similar scenario happened in the [[2024 European Parliament election in Italy]], when [[Forza Italia (2013)|Forza Italia]] urged their voters to write-in [[Silvio Berlusconi]] who died a year earlier.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://brusselssignal.eu/2024/05/forza-italia-resurrects-silvio-berlusconi-ahead-of-european-parliament-elections/|author=Anne-Laure Dufeal|work=Brussels Signal|date= 29 May 2024|title=Forza Italia ‘resurrects’ Silvio Berlusconi ahead of European Parliament elections}}</ref>
* In many [[Germany|German]] [[States of Germany|federal states]], it is possible to write people on the ballot paper by hand in municipal council elections or mayoral elections if only one person is running or if the number of candidates is lower than the number of seats in the municipal council (″Einzelvorschlag″).

==Protest==
*In United States elections, write-in votes are sometimes cast for fictional characters, notably [[Mickey Mouse]], whose name usage as a protest vote has been attested since 1932.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://prospect.org/article/if-you-give-mouse-vote |title=If You Give a Mouse a Vote |last1=Fuller |first1=Jaime |date=November 5, 2013 |journal=[[The American Prospect]] |access-date=December 30, 2014 |archive-date=January 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114182610/http://prospect.org/article/if-you-give-mouse-vote |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Mad (magazine)|''Mad'' magazine]] satirically called to vote for [[Alfred E. Neuman]] as a write-in candidate for every U.S. presidential election from 1956 to 1980 with slogans like "You could do worse– you always have!" and "There are bigger idiots running for office!".
*In the [[1980 United States presidential election|1980 U.S. presidential election]], guitarist [[Joe Walsh]] ran a mock write-in campaign, promising to make his song "[[Life's Been Good]]" the new national anthem if he won, and running on a platform of "Free Gas for Everyone". Though Walsh (then aged 33) was not old enough to actually assume the office, he wanted to raise public awareness of the election. (In 1992, Walsh purportedly ran for ''vice''-president, in his song "Vote For Me", a track on his album ''[[Songs for a Dying Planet]]'', which was released that year.)
*During the 2000 [[United States Congress#Elections|United States Congress Elections]], film-maker [[Michael Moore]] led a campaign for voters to submit a [[ficus]] tree as a write-in candidate. This campaign was replicated across the country and was recounted in an episode of ''[[The Awful Truth (TV show)|The Awful Truth]]''.
*In 2012, a campaign was waged to write in [[Charles Darwin]] against Georgia congressman [[Paul Broun]] (who was running unopposed) after Broun "called evolution and other areas of science 'lies straight from the pit of hell.{{'"}} Darwin received approximately 4,000 votes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://onlineathens.com/election/2012-11-08/charles-darwin-gets-nearly-4000-write-votes-athens-against-rep-broun|title=Charles Darwin gets 4,000 write-in votes in Athens against Paul Broun|date=November 9, 2012|first=Jim|last=Thompson|publisher=[[Athens Banner-Herald]] |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180813112539/http://onlineathens.com/election/2012-11-08/charles-darwin-gets-nearly-4000-write-votes-athens-against-rep-broun |archive-date= Aug 13, 2018 }}</ref> However, because Darwin was not registered as an official candidate (some states require even write-ins to be pre-registered), the [[Georgia Secretary of State]] did not tabulate those votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/GA/42277/113204/en/summary.html|website=GA – Election Results |title=General Election November 6, 2012 |date=Nov 21, 2012 |access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref>
*In 2016, several grassroots campaigns to elect [[Bernie Sanders]] President as a write-in candidate were established on social media in the run-up to the United States presidential election. Though Sanders continued to campaign for Democratic nominee [[Hillary Clinton]], supporters pointed to alleged DNC bias in the [[Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2016|Democratic Party's presidential primaries]] against Sanders, and Clinton's email scandal, and continued to support him.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article112114202.html|title=Latest Hillary Clinton drama gives Bernie Sanders' write-in campaign a boost |website=The News & Observer |date=Nov 2, 2016 |first1=Vera |last1=Bergengruen |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214183829/http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article112114202.html |archive-date= Dec 14, 2017 }}</ref> Both Clinton and [[Donald Trump]] would have had to win less than the required 270 electoral college votes for Sanders to have denied either candidate the presidency, and for the election to be passed to the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] – thus the initial write-in campaign around Vermont, offering only three college votes, was not successful, but Sanders did receive almost six percent of the vote there.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theindependentthinker2016.wordpress.com/2016/09/24/how-bernie-sanders-could-become-president-with-only-130000-votes/|title=How Bernie Sanders Could Become President With Only 130,000 Votes|date=September 24, 2016 |website=theindependentthinker2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627153742/https://theindependentthinker2016.wordpress.com/2016/09/24/how-bernie-sanders-could-become-president-with-only-130000-votes/ |archive-date= Jun 27, 2023 }}</ref> The campaign expanded to include all 12 eligible states (one of which listed Sanders as an official write-in candidate), and relied on states such as California, with a high electoral college vote count and large support for Sanders, to be successful in denying both Trump and Clinton.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.inquisitr.com/3666716/over-18-million-people-in-california-can-write-in-bernie-sanders-in-california-almost-no-media-reporting-it/|title=Over 18 Million People In California Could Write-In Bernie Sanders In California, Almost No Media Reporting It|date=May 24, 2017 |website=Inquisitr |first1=Dawn |last1=Papple |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002003244/https://www.inquisitr.com/3666716/over-18-million-people-in-california-can-write-in-bernie-sanders-in-california-almost-no-media-reporting-it/ |archive-date= Oct 2, 2022 }}</ref>
* In Sweden, all handwritten votes are [[Optical character recognition|scanned by computer]] and the results published online, although only votes for valid parties count towards determining successful candidates. In the [[2010 Swedish general election|2010 general election]], ineffective votes included 120 for [[Donald Duck]] and 2 for "myself",<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/8021258/Donald-Duck-and-God-mar-Swedish-election.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/8021258/Donald-Duck-and-God-mar-Swedish-election.html |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Donald Duck and God mar Swedish election|date=September 23, 2010|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=May 5, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> as well as several computer code snippets apparently intended as [[code injection]] attacks aimed at either the program which tallied the votes or the browsers of users who accessed the results website.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/sweden-election-hack|title=Hacking Sweden's election with pen and paper|last=Geere|first=Duncan|date=September 24, 2010|magazine=[[Wired UK]]|access-date=May 5, 2018}}</ref>
* In the [[2018 Egyptian presidential election]], owing to a large number of candidates being arrested or barred from running, Egyptian football star [[Mohamed Salah]] received over a million votes, as many Egyptians cancelled out the names of both candidates and wrote his instead. This was higher than the number of votes received by the second place candidate, [[Moussa Mostafa Moussa]]. Write-in votes are not deemed valid in Egypt.

==See also==
{{Portal|Politics}}
*[[None of the above]]
**[[None of These Candidates]] - Nevada's implementation of the "''None of the above''" voting option
* [[Paper candidate]]
* [[Star candidate]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Elections in the United States]]
[[Category:Politics of the United States]]
[[Category:Elections terminology]]