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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

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Etymology

Origin of write-in

First recorded in 1930–35

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

write-in write in write-ins

East San Fernando Valley incumbent Kelly Gonez faces one challenger, Jose Sagredo, who, as a write-in candidate, will not even have his name on the ballot.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

Thanks to a well-orchestrated write-in campaign, Biden still received more than 63 percent of the vote, then he secured 96.2 percent in the party-sanctioned first contest in South Carolina.

From Slate ● May 26, 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

I could at least have done a write-in vote.

From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott

In response Kundizeza wrote: "To suggest that a writer cannot write in different styles or genres, or improve his writing substantially after five or more years fundamentally misunderstands the craft of writing."

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

I only write one line because I can’t write in a vacuum.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

“Any day now!” people write in the comments.

From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026

Upon graduating from Smith College in 1956, Steinem received a fellowship to travel and write in India, where, over two years, she discovered the critical role women had played in the Indian independence movement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

When Mother says to come home, I write in my mind that I feel at home nowhere.

From "Tasting the Sky" by Ibtisam Barakat

In her recount application, she cited a 14-vote difference between her and Holland after a round that took into account such things as the distribution of second choices on ballots that ranked write-ins first.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 6, 2022

For example, the most common gender identity written in by the students was "genderfluid," which was given by more than 40% of the write-ins.

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 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

Four other candidates in the race, three running as write-ins and one with the Alaskan Independence Party, had not reported raising any money.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 4, 2020

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

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

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