8.185 Write-in candidates for president and vice president.

(1) The names of candidates for president and vice president may be written in, in the place provided, on the general ballot at the general election for choosing the president and vice president of the United States. Write-in votes shall be listed as scattering unless the person whose name is written in has a list of presidential electors on file with the commission in accordance with this section or unless the person whose name is written in has received more than 10 percent of the total vote cast in the ward, or in the municipality if not divided into wards.

(2) Any candidates for the office of president and vice president of the United States as write-in candidates shall file a list of presidential electors and a declaration of candidacy in the manner prescribed in s. 8.21 with the commission no later than 4:30 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday preceding the day of the general election to choose the president and vice president of the United States. The list shall contain one presidential elector from each congressional district and 2 electors from the state at large and the names of the candidates for president and vice president for whom they intend to vote, if elected. Compliance with this subsection may be waived by the commission but only if the results of the general election indicate that a write-in candidate for the office of president is eligible to receive the electoral votes of this state except for noncompliance with this subsection. In such event, the write-in candidate shall have until 4:30 p.m. on the Friday following the general election to comply with the filing requirements of this subsection.

(3) If more than one list of presidential electors is filed with the commission by any write-in candidates for the offices of president and vice president of the United States, the first list filed shall be considered the valid list, provided that this list meets the additional requirements of this section.

(4) Write-in votes for president and vice president shall be counted as provided in s. 7.50 (2) (i).

History: 1971 c. 304 s. 29 (2); 1973 c. 334 s. 57; 1977 c. 427; 1981 c. 377 ss. 21 to 23; 1983 a. 484; 2015 a. 118 s. 266 (10); 2017 a. 366.