Any Missouri resident without a criminal record is able to become a write-in candidate for political office by the Oct. 23 deadline.
In order to be a write-in candidate, the only requirement is to fill out a formal declaration of intent. This form is delivered to the filing officer, which can be either the secretary of state for statewide offices or county clerk for local contests.
Filing the form guarantees that a blank line appears on the ballot where the write-in candidate can have their name inserted.
Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said there is no vetting process for a write-in candidate besides the declaration of intent. However, previous candidates who ran and lost in the primary for a position are ineligible to fill out a write-in declaration for the same position in the general election, following a sort of “sore loser statutes,” Lennon said.
“We don’t really have like a filing process. We’re not allowed to stop somebody or disqualify somebody,” Lennon said. “So it’s really kind of an honor system situation.”
Write-ins do not have to say what party they are associated with. While they may not be aligned with a specific political party, this does not make them an independent candidate.
Independent candidates are put on a ballot when they gather a specific number of certified signatures through petitioning.
While almost anyone can file a declaration, without that intentional declaration, a candidate cannot run. This means that a random name, such as a celebrity, cannot be elected if they have not filed with the proper office.
Lennon said it is quite rare for write-ins to beat a potentially unopposed candidate. But, if the write-in wins the election and it is later discovered to be unqualified, this could create a vacancy.
Such a disqualification could either trigger a special election, lead to a gubernatorial appointee or continue to leave a vacancy in that seat of office.
For more information, visit the Secretary of State website and look under “voting information.”