How to write in the candidate of your choice

By TOM KANE

RIVER VALLEY — The practice of writing in the name of a person whose name does not appear on the ballot is a long-standing voting practice that is not always followed by voters.

The main reason is that many voters aren’t sure how to do it.

“All voting machines have across the top of the machine a series of numbered slots which correspond to the numbers that appear below over the name of the office and the candidate,” said Darlene Burnett, director of the Wayne County Bureau of Elections.

If voters don’t want to vote for any of the candidates whose names appear under the numbered office, (each office is numbered left to right beginning in order with the number 1), they can move up to the top and carefully choose the number that corresponds to the office below and lift up the metal slot.

“What they do, then, is clearly write in the space the name of their candidate with pencil or pen,” Burnett said.

One word of caution, however; “If you lift the slot and then decide you don’t want to write in the name or if you find that you don’t have the right number, you cannot drop the metal slot and vote in that race,” Burnett said.

You don’t lose your chance to vote for any of the other races, just that one.

The voting machines that are used in Wayne (like the one shown right) are similar to the ones used in Sullivan County, according to the Sullivan County Board of Elections staff.