There are number of write-in candidates in this election as well as many unopposed candidates. Here are some tips on voting. There is also a constitutional amendment on the Minnesota ballot this election. One thing to understand about this constitutional amendment is that it takes away the decision making authority from the legislature, permanently and gives it to an appointed individual who may not be accountable to voters.
Voting for a write-in candidate usually involves entering the candidate's name in a designated space on the ballot. However, it's crucial for voters to know the exact spelling of the candidate's name and follow any specific instructions provided on the ballot to ensure that their vote is valid.
In some places, unqualified write-in votes for president will invalidate the entire ballot, so it’s important to write in someone who went through the process to qualify for inclusion. Currently, Virginia is the only state that allows virtually unrestricted write-in candidacy for all elected offices, but candidates for president and vice president must register. Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and South Dakota are among the states that bar write-in votes altogether. It’s also illegal in every state to write in a candidate whose name appears elsewhere on the ballot.
Some jurisdictions use electronic voting systems that have different methods for write-in votes, so familiarizing yourself with the voting machine's instructions is essential. In Oregon, write-in votes are only counted if the total number of write-in ballots reaches or exceeds the number of votes for an establishment candidate for the same office. This is due to the fact that write-ins cannot be scanned or validated on the state’s voting equipment and must be hand-counted. In other words, the demand must meet the effort.
Knowing the rules in your particular state for write-in candidacies, whatever office they seek, will ensure that your ballot won’t be declared spoiled and that down-ballot choices won’t be lost.
The act of leaving one option blank on a ballot while filling out other options is commonly referred to as under voting. For example, a voter that is permitted to cast one vote for a presidential candidate and does not select a candidate, or a voter who has only cast two votes in a contest allowing three, has under voted. Voters have the right to undervote if they choose to do so.
A ballot will not be canceled or disqualified as the result of an undervote. An undervote can be intentional (e.g., protest votes, tactical voting, or abstention) or unintentional (e.g., oversight on the voter's part or confusing ballot design).
Under voting does not directly affect candidate elections with a majority requirement to win. Under voting can affect ballot measure results, however. In seven states, constitutional amendments must be approved by a certain percentage of all voters casting a ballot in the election, making the effect of a blank vote different. In states requiring majority approval from all ballots cast in the election, leaving the question blank is the same as voting against the measure.
