Write-in votes written off
Some people displeased with the candidates for president this year have announced their plans to cast a write-in vote, whether it’s for Bernie Sanders or Mike Pence.
But will that vote count? No, except in rare circumstances. You might as well write in Mickey Mouse, something that happens distressingly often, said Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton.
Washington and Idaho are two of the 32 states where people have to officially file as write-in candidates before the election.
If a Washington ballot has a write-in candidate, it’s set aside. The votes for all official write-in candidates are counted, but a vote for any unofficial candidate – like Mickey Mouse – is not. It’s simply tallied as an unofficial vote.
“All those write-ins are tabulated, even if they’re for Mickey Mouse,” Dalton said/SR & AP. More here.
