The past few presidential elections have seen a depressing retrogression on the part of states, as to whether they will tally the write-in votes for declared write-in presidential candidates. The latest to backslide is Maine, where the Secretary of State now refuses to compile the tally, even though he did so in 2016.
Other states that formerlly tallied them, but have stopped, are Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, and Virginia.
In 2016 Maine tallied write-ins for Evan McMullin, Darrell Castle, and Laurence Kotlikoff.
As long ago as 1915, federal courts ruled that the U.S. Constitution protects the right of voters to have their valid votes counted. It is especially important that states with severe ballot access tally write-ins, and Maine is severe. No presidential petition in Maine succeeded in 2020 except for Jo Jorgensen’s petition, and Rocky De La Fuente’s petition. Thanks to Tony Roza for this sad news.
A. Cost to count each W-I vote ???
B. Govt spending per voter ???
C A/B pct ???
Richard:
How many of these states election officials who chose to NOT count valid write-in votes were from the Democratic (every single vote whether legal or not must be counted) Party?
What is retard Demo Rep babbling about now? He really needs a new hobby, or to be committed to the loony bin.
The garbage comment from February 3, 2021 at 11:01 pm was made by Cody Quirk.
That may or may not be true. It was either made by Cody Quirk or Nathan Norman. The one at 11:46 was made by Nathan Norman, aka William Saturn.
It blows my mind that it’s even legal for a state to accept official candidates to be listed as write-in options and then refuse to actually count the votes they garner. Strikes me as disgusting, and I’d be quite unhappy if I lived in one of those states and voted for a write-in candidate, only to see the vote not even counted.
14-2 IS STILL AROUND — NEVER ENFORCED SINCE 1868 — A MERE 152 YEARS.
Every vote just doesn’t count any more.
All those hostile changes were made by Democratic Secretaries of State, except North Dakota’s was made by a Republican. Virginia elections are not under the control of a Secretary of State, but the party that won the last gubernatorial election has a majority on the State Election Board, and the Virginia change was made when Democrats were in charge.
All votes should be counted.
I just heard from the NM SoS that indeed they do still tally write in votes.
Is the Maine SOS trying to link the refusal to count write-in votes to the use of IRV/RCV there for the Presidential election — perhaps by claiming they don’t matter because all first-choice votes for write-ins were eliminated in the first round of counting? (Or perhaps does the SOS not want to be asked how many write-ins went on to vote for other options as lower-ranked choices?)
New Mexico since 1992 has not permitted anyone to file as a declared write-in for president. So while New Mexico counts write-ins for declared write-in candidates for other office, that won’t work for president.
Didn’t the Alliance Party make it in Maine?
Write-ins present an interesting problem for ranked choice voting. Looking at a sample ballot for Maine, I noticed that, altho you can rank your write-in candidate, there is only one write-in space available for each office. Yet, just allowing one write-in space appears to have been one space too many for Maine.
IMO, every declared write-in candidate for any office should be issued a code number, and the write-in space should provide boxes to enter the code number. That could make tabulation considerably easier.
Brady, you are right. I just now fixed the post. Thank you. This is why I am so glad for comments.
Whoa, Walter, your idea not very good.
The United Coalition USA doesn’t have any of these problems and we like about six to nine write-in spaces.
In 2020 we had ten female Libertarian Presidential candidates and we kept expanding the ability to write-in them all.
With 800+ nominees in 2024, having ten write-in spaces helps, plus we have a note at the very bottom of paper ballots saying that writing in more names can be done on back side of paper. Ink on paper, consecutively ranked numerals only, transparent and 2nd copy readily available.
http://www.1ogle.com
Walter, if a vote counter cannot count write-in names, pass it on to someone who can. So that way, no numerals, only names of living eligible Electors.