US Presidential Write-in Candidate Requirements for each State

Author: Lavapen Page 5 of 6

Florida

By

On April 16, 2008

In Florida

A presidential write-in candidate may have a blank space provided on the general election ballot for his/her name to be written in if:


1) The candidate files an Oath of Candidate (Form DS-DE 85) with the Division of Elections between , July 1 and , July 8, 2008.

Form DS-DE 85 may be downloaded from the Division of Elections website at

http://election.dos.state.fl.us/forms/pdf/DSDE85.pdf


2) Not later than August 29, 2008, the candidate submits a list containing the names and addresses of 27 persons to serve as electors to the Department of State.

NO NOTARIZATIONS REQUIRED.


The Oath of Candidate form must be filled out and signed by both Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates.

Georgia

By

On April 16, 2008

In Georgia

For Georgia, in order to be eligible as a write-in candidate for President, there is a multi-step process:

1) You need to send a formal letter of intent to run as a write-in

candidate for President and Vice-President, accompanied by a request for the forms that you will need to fill out. You send this letter to:



Mike McCarthy


Director of Elections


Sec. of State Elections Division


2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE


West Tower,
Ste. 1104


Atlanta, GA 30334

2) You also need to publish a notice of your intent to run for President as a write-in candidate in a newspaper of general circulation in the state of Georgia, which would be the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. You need to get an affidavit of publication from the paper, and a copy of the publication itself. You can publish this notice anytime between JANUARY 1, 2008 and SEPTEMBER 1, 2008.

THE PUBLICATION NEEDS TO CONTAIN THE CANDIDATES NAME, THE OFFICE HE IS RUNNING FOR, AND THE DATE OF THE ELECTION. USE THE LANGUAGE OF THE FORM PROVIDED BY THE ELECTIONS OFFICE, BUT YOU ONLY NEED THESE THREE ITEMS OF INFORMATION, NOT THE ADDRESS, ETC.

3) Complete and send the form received from the GA elections division to them, accompanied by the affidavit of publication and a copy of the newspaper notice itself. All of this is due by September 1, 2008, but can be filed at any time before then.

District of Columbia

By

On April 16, 2008

In District of Columbia

A write-in candidate for President and Vice-President of the United States shall file with the Board on or before 5:00 p.m., on October 28, 2008 (the seventh day preceding the election), his or her list of presidential electors on the forms prescribed and provided by the Board, pursuant to the United States and District of Columbia, if he or she is to qualify as a write-in candidate and have the assistance of poll watchers and count observers on election day.

THE CANDIDATE WILL NEED 3 ELECTORS.

THESE FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE STARTING JUNE 26, 2008.

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT REQUIRE A NOTARY.* *2/13/08

Delaware

By

On April 16, 2008

In Delaware

There are no requirements in the state of Delaware. Voters can just write in the candidate’s name, and the vote will be counted.

Connecticut

By

On April 16, 2008

In Connecticut

By October 21, 2008, the write-in presidential candidate must file the following with Connecticut Secretary of State, Legislative & Elections Administrative Division:

1) A “Registration Of Write-In Candidacy For President/Vice-President” form. The Elections Division said that the candidate can use as many copies of the form as he or she needs to give to the various electors and to the vice-presidential candidate. When sending them all in to the Elections Dept., the forms should just be all stapled together.

Send to:

Secretary of the State

Legislative & Elections Administrative Division

30 Trinity Street, P.O. Box 150470

Hartford CT
06115-0470

Colorado

By

On April 16, 2008

In Colorado

By August 26, 2008, a write-in candidate for President must file the following with the Colorado Secretary of State Elections Division:

1) An “Affidavit of Intent for Write-In Designation And Declaration of Qualification” for the presidential candidate. NOTARIZATION REQUIRED.

2) An “Affidavit of Intent for Write-In Designation And Declaration of Qualification” for the vice-presidential candidate. NOTARIZATION REQUIRED.

3) The “Acceptance of Presidential Electors” form.

9 ELECTORS REQUIRED.


Colorado Secretary of State


Elections Division


1700 Broadway,
Ste. 270


Denver, CO 80290


Ph: (303) 894-2200 x 6312


Fax: (303) 869-4861

California

By

On April 16, 2008

In California

A candidate must file the following with the California Secretary of State’s Office by October 21, 2008:

1) A “Statement of Write-In Candidacy For President Of The United States” form.

2) 55 “Declaration Of Write-In Candidacy Presidential Elector” forms, each of which must be notarized.

The declarations of write-in candidacy must be filed with the Secretary of State in person or by mail. Please send your documents to:

Office of the California Secretary of State


Elections Division


ATTN: Candidates & Elections


1500 11th Street
, 5th Floor


Sacramento, CA 95814

Please indicate on the envelope “Declaration of Write-In Candidacy.” The Declarations of Write-In Candidacy must be received by the Secretary of State no later than October 21, 2008 (E-14). § 8652

Arkansas

By

On April 16, 2008

In Arkansas

NO WRITE-IN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ALLOWED.

The Arkansas Secretary of State’s Elections Division website says this:

“Write-in Candidates
Write-in candidates are not allowed in presidential, municipal, or primary elections. [ACA §§7-5-525, 7-8-302, 14-43-202]”
www.arkansas.gov/sbec/pdfs/2007-Handbook-Final.pdf

It turns out that none of those election codes referenced actually contain any language referring to write-in candidates for President. Furthermore, the election law regarding write-in candidacy has remain unchanged since at least the early 70s. However, there is legal precedent for Arkansas allowing write-in presidential candidates in at least 1972, for Schmitz/Anderson of the American Party, and 1976, for Eugene McCarthy.

“American Party Loses Bid For Ballot Spot” Northwest Arkansas Times 1972
“Eugene McCarthy”
Northwest Arkansas Times 1976

When asked about this, the legal counsel of the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office was not impressed. It did not seem to matter to him that 1) Arkansas is among only a small handful of states that is currently not allowing write-in Presidential candidates, or 2) that there is a precedent in Arkansas for allowing write-in presidential candidates. The question put to him was: if the law has remained unchanged since 1972, why is it that the Arkansas Secretary of State allowed Schmitz-Anderson to qualify as a write-in Presidential ticket in 1972 in Arkansas, and Eugene McCarthy to qualify as a write-in Presidential candidate in 1976 … and yet now is saying that presidential write-ins are not allowed?

In South Carolina, the prohibition of write-in presidential candidates is actually spelled out clearly in their election laws, but there is nothing of the sort in Arkansas. There is in fact clear precedent, and a strong national context for allowing Presidential write-ins in Arkansas, but they are not being allowed.

Arizona

By

On April 16, 2008

In Arizona

The candidate must submit the following to the Secretary of State’s Election Office:

1) A Nomination Paper / Affidavit of Qualification for the presidential candidate.

2) A Nomination Paper / Affidavit of Qualification for the vice-presidential candidate.

3) A Write-In Candidate Presidential Elector Nomination Paper / Affidavit of Qualification for each of 10 electors who must be residents of the state of Arizona.

4) A cover sheet on which the presidential candidate designates in writing that he is running for President, who his vice-presidential running mate is, and the names of the 10 presidential electors that are pledged to him. This cover sheet should also reference that the nomination papers for the presidential candidate, the vice-presidential candidate and each of the 10 electors are enclosed.

Here is an official information sheet from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Election Office.

ALL NOMINATION PAPERS MUST BE NOTARIZED

The deadline is September 25, 2008

Mary C. Fontes

Election Office Manager

Arizona Secretary of State

1700

W. Washington Street
, 7th Floor

Phoenix, Arizona 85007-2888

Alabama

By

On April 16, 2008

In Alabama

In Alabama, a write-in candidate for President in the November 2008 general election does not have to do anything to have his/her votes counted.

All write-in votes will be counted.

Page 5 of 6

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén