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• write-in
  write-in

  noun

  a candidate or vote for a candidate not listed on the printed ballot but written onto it by the voter.
• write in
  write in

  verb

  to insert in (a document, form, etc) in writing

write-in

American  

[rahyt-in] / ˈraɪtˌɪn /

noun

• write-ins
  plural

1. a candidate or vote for a candidate not listed on the printed ballot but written onto it by the voter.

   Write-ins may swing the election.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or for such a candidate or vote or a ballot so marked.

   a write-in campaign.

write in British  

verb

1. to insert in (a document, form, etc) in writing

2. (adverb) to write a letter to a company, institution, etc

3. (adverb)

   1. to vote for (a person not on a ballot) by writing in his name

   2. to cast (a vote) for such a person by writing in his name

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noun

1. the act of voting for a person by writing his name on a ballot

2. a candidate or vote that has been written in

3. ( as modifier )

   a write-in campaign

write in Idioms  

1. Cast a vote by inserting a name not listed on the ballot, as in He asked them to write in his name as a candidate . [c. 1930]

2. Insert in a text or document, as in Please don't write in your corrections on the printed pages, but list them separately . [Late 1300s]

3. Communicate with an organization by mail, as in Listeners are being asked to write in their requests . [1920s]

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• write-ins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of write-in

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

write-in write in write-ins

She decided to run anyway, as a write-in candidate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

A write-in candidate cannot earn write-in votes unless that candidate has either turned in 500 petition signatures to become eligible for votes or paid a $300 filing fee.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026

Polling is taking place in three phases spread over a month, using new electronic voting machines which do not allow write-in candidates or spoiled ballots.

From Barron's ● Dec. 27, 2025

Voters were asked to fill out a write-in ballot due to the unusually high number of candidates.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2025

Karen talked about write-in candidates, which is when the person who votes can write in the name of someone who hasn’t been officially nominated.

From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott

“I had no intention of going to jail,” Flynn would write in his memoir.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Fears that fleet supply could exceed cargo demand through 2029 are weighing on investor sentiment, the analysts write in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

Madonna said Orbit inspired her to sing and write in ways she never had before, without caring if her words "made sense or not".

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

All-conquering Pogacar raised the idea that his remarkable reality is proving stranger than fiction, describing it as "something you wouldn't even maybe write in a story book".

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

It made Professor Nicholas Green suggest he apply for the foreign research grant at Nsukka, where he could write in a university environment.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The AP will then provide a breakdown of write-ins for Biden as well as a combined total of non-Biden write-ins as local officials sort the ballots throughout the night and the following days.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 17, 2024

It's one of those advice column write-ins where you question for a minute if the dilemma is actually based in truth.

From Salon ● Apr. 30, 2022

Brown declared victory and thanked his supporters after local media reported Walton had won 41% of the vote while 59% of the votes were write-ins.

From Reuters ● Nov. 3, 2021

But Miguel Nunes, deputy director of state Board of Elections, told lawmakers tallying write-ins is a “monumental responsibility.”

From Washington Times ● Jun. 25, 2019

The other 1,547 votes were write-ins or illegible.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Related Words

• copy
• document
• file
• list
• log
• mark
• post
• register
• report
• videotape