Alabama county elections officials were strictly instructed to tally all write-in votes in the November 2006 election. Almost all counties obeyed, but some of them now desire to get a bill introduced banning write-in votes. It would be far more intelligent for them to ask for a bill providing that declared write-in candidates file a declaration of write-in candidacy, shortly before the election. Then, their burden would be eased; they would only need to tally write-ins for actual write-in candidates. 35 other states already have such laws.