​​​How the Write-In Process Works

  • Only candidates who file a Declaration of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate may be considered as a write-in candidate.
  • Candidates can file as a write-in candidate until 4:30 p.m. on the 61st day prior to the election.
  • Write-in candidate names will not appear on the ballot. Only an option to write in a candidate name will appear on the ballot.
  • Once all ballots have been received in our office, two judges, one from each major political party in Kane County, look at every write-in name to determine whether or not the name is of a candidate that has declared their write-in status and therefore shall be accepted.
  • All accepted write-in candidate votes are then included with the other tabulated votes.
  • To qualify as a candidate for an established political party in a General Election, a write-in candidate at any Election for that party must receive the number of votes that is equal to or greater than the number of signatures required on a petition for that office if the number of candidates whose names appear on the​ ballot is less than the number of persons the party is entitled to nominate or elect to that office.
  • The number of votes required for write-in candidates to be nominated or elected to an office at any Election, as outlined above, does not apply if:
  1. The number of votes he/she receives exceeds the number of votes received by at least one of the candidates whose name was printed on the ballot for nomination or election to the same office;
  2. The number of candidates whose names appear on the ballot equals or exceeds the number of persons the party in entitled to nominate or elect to that office. [10 ILCS 5/7-59]

How to File as a Write-In Candidate

  1. A candidate who is defeated for nomination is prohibited from filing a Declaration of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate at that General Election.
  2. Write-in votes shall be counted only for persons who have filed notarized declarations of intent to be write-in candidates with the proper election authority or authorities not later than 61 days prior to the Election​. However, whenever an objection to a candidate's nominating papers or petitions for any office is sustained under Section 10-10 after the 61st day before the election, then write-in ​votes shall be counted for that candidate if he or she has filed a notarized declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for that office with the proper election authority or authorities not later than 7 days prior to the election. [10 ILCS 5/7-59 (b), 17-16.1, 18-9.1]

After the Election

A winning write-in candidate who receives the required number of votes at any​ Election must file:

  1. a Statement of Candidacy;
  2. a receipt for the filing of the Statement of Economic Interests (exception: federal and party offices);
  3. a Loyalty Oath (optional).

These forms must be filed within 5 days of the canvass. The forms must be filed with a certifying officer or board (example: winning write-in candidate for State Representative would file with the State Board of Elections). [10 ILCS 5/7-60]