The treasurer of Buena Vista County, Iowa, was running for re-election this year, unopposed. However, after the ballots were printed, she died. According to this story, Sheri Elbert has now declared as a write-in candidate, and so far there are no other write-in candidates.
This illustrates one reason why it is rational for states to include write-in space on ballots. Also it illustrates that it is a bad idea for states to require write-in candidates to file a declaration of candidacy months before an election, as Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio do.
Iowa does not have a requirement that write-in candidates must file a declaration of candidacy in advance of the election. Theoretically, all write-in votes in Iowa are valid. However, Iowa does not generally canvass write-in votes, unless there is a hint that a write-in candidate might have polled enough write-ins to win.
The article listed Sheri Elbert as a Independent candidate even though she is a write-in during this election. I wonder if she will remain a Independent is she is elected, or will quickly identify with one of the major parties for political security?
Why didn’t some of the 3rd parties who have members or supporters in that county not consider running as “write-in” for this office?
This is one of the weaknesses of 3rd party leadership. When there is an opening in the closed political process, they fail to take the opportunity. And then they gripe because he state makes it too hard (and in most cases rightfully so) for a 3rd party or Independent to get a position on the ballot.
We need to look for opportunities to win where they exist, and not waste time and money on races we don’t have any chance of winning.
“…they gripe because the state makes it too hard (and in most cases rightfully so)…”
I did not mean the harsh election laws were rightfully so. I meant those who gripe are “rightfully so” in griping, but still miss other opportunities such as having write-in candidates available as is/was the case for the office of Treasurer of Buena Vista County, Iowa.
Buena Vista has not had a contested election for countywide office since 2008, until this year, where an independent candidate is running for county attorney against a Republican.
Oddly, the unopposed candidates are both Democrats and Republicans. This year, the Democrats receive about 100 votes in their primary, and the Republicans around 900 in theirs.
As the article notes, if the deceased candidate wins, there would either be a special election, or a new treasurer would be appointed.
The local newspaper has editorialized
http://www.stormlake.com/articles/2014/09/26/life-service
for a vote for the only candidate out of both respect for her 22 years of service, and to ensure that a proper election could be held. So it appears that write-in voting is not the panacea you suggest.
Yes, I should have read Richard’s post closely, and I would have recognized this deceased lady’s name was still on the ballot. And from reading the article attached to your reply, it is obvious the sheeple will follow the suggestion of the local newspaper editor and vote for this deceased lady, knowing that it will cost the sheeple for the special election, which no doubt will be filled by one of the choices offered by the elitists of Buena Vista County.
However, I would hope voters who think for themselves, might go to the extremes of writing-in the name of Sheri Elbert and avoid the taxpayers of having to pay for a special election.
This is why I had lamented about 3rd parties of not taking advantage of rare situations like this. Is the Libertarian Party (or another responsible 3rd party) organized in Buena Vista County? Would this Ms Elbert be acceptable to them? If not, why not find another acceptable write-in candidate and “move mountains” to get people to vote for her?
Isn’t it time we “sheeple” decide who is elected, rather than the elitists of our cities, counties, states, and the nation?