A new Missouri law went into effect on August 28th regarding write-in candidates. RSMo 115.453(4) states that write-in candidates can only be counted if the candidate has filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate with the Election Authority, even if no one has filed to be a candidate for a particular race.
Before this law changed all write-in votes were counted for a particular race if no candidate filed for that office.
What this change means is if you write-in Mickey Mouse or any other person that has not filed to be a write-in candidate, then the name you wrote in on your ballot will not be counted.
Any person wishing to file as a write-in candidate for a local race has until the second Friday immediately preceding the election day to do so.
If a candidate does not win the nomination in the primary election, they cannot file to be a write-in candidate for the same office at the general election.
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