Write-In Candidates
Prospective write-in candidates in Illinois must file paperwork with the county clerk, or election authority, in each jurisdiction where their name will appear on the ballot.
In suburban Cook County, write-in candidates must submit a Write-in Candidate Declaration of Intent form* at the Cook County Clerk’s downtown Chicago office (69 W. Washington St., Room 500). The original form must be filed no later than 5 pm on Thursday December 6, 2007.
The Clerk’s office will provide a list of eligible write-in candidates to each precinct on Election Day. This list enables election judges to determine which write-in candidates are running in their precinct. Only votes for eligible write-in candidates are counted.
Voters can vote for a write-in candidate on an optical scan ballot or a touch-screen machine.
Casting a vote for a write-in candidate
On an optical scan ballot:
- Write the name of the write-in candidate on the line provided in a particular race.
- Mark the corresponding arrow
No other votes can be cast in a race where a write-in vote was cast. This would result in an overvote and no votes would be counted in that race.
On a touch-screen machine:
- Press the “write-in” box at the bottom of the list of candidates. A keyboard will appear.
- Type a name using the letters on the keyboard and space key to separate the first and last name.
- When finished, press “OK.”
No other votes can be cast in a race where a write-in vote was cast.
Validity of write-in votes
Complete accuracy of a write-in candidate’s name is not necessary as long as the election judges can determine a voter’s intent to select a specific write-in candidate. There should be some relationship between the appearance or sound of the name written or printed on the ballot and that of the write-in candidate’s actual name.
If there is a dispute, a majority of the election judges must agree as to the intent of the voter. If a majority agreement among the election judges cannot be reached, the write-in vote will not be counted.
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