Determining election results in two races could be more tedious next month with two write-in candidates seeking office. Zillah Republican Curtis E. Vangstad announced that he’s a write-in candidate for Yakima County Commissioner, seeking Republican Rand Elliot’s seat for District 3. And Yakima attorney Michael “Scott” Brumback is making a write-in bid as a conservative Republican for a 14th Legislative District seat held by Rep. Norm Johnson, R-Yakima. Having two write-in candidates at once is rare in Yakima County, and could create additional work for election officials, Yakima County Auditor Corky Holloway said Friday. Election officials hand-type every name voters write on ballots and record the results. “It is tedious, but that’s their job,” Holloway said. “It’s timely, but it’s doable.”
There are two ways a candidate can launch a write-in campaign: declared or nondeclared. A declared write-in requires the candidate to file with the elections office and pay a filing fee no later than 18 days before the primary or general election.
With declared candidates, election officials are more aware of the write-in candidates names and can more readily tally those votes even when names on ballots are misspelled, said Sheryl Moss, certification and training manager with the Secretary of State’s election department.
Full Article: Yakima Herald Republic | Write-in candidates may complicate election.