Write-In Options on Ballots (or lack thereof)

[Ben]

So I've never paid attention before, but I just noticed my CA ballot does not give me the option of a write-in for either senator or congressman. The reason I paid attention this time is because the only two non-write-in options for CA senator this time around are both far left nutjob democrats. No Republicans or third parties made the ballot. I fully intended to write someone in, but now my only option seems to be to leave it blank.

Do any of you in other states have restrictions of where you can write someone in? Not having the option seems somewhat (or a lot) anti-freedom.

[Perd Hapley]

http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=52412.msg1070452#msg1070452

[Regolith]

Oregon has a write-in option, though I don't know if it's similar to Fistful's state where the write-in candidate has to register first.

I tend to use them just about every election, because there's always someone -- usually judges -- running unopposed, and I find voting for unopposed candidates kind of pointless. I usually write in a joke name, sometimes related to the office. Fer instance, for all of the unopposed judges last election, I wrote in the cast of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.

[Ben]

To be clear, CA has a write-in option, and as far as I know, candidates don't have to register to get it. It's just an "insert name here" thing. However (and again this is the first year that I noticed it) the option is only available for president and for local elections. Senate and Congress have no write-in option. For the senate, it's two Democrats. For Congress in my district, it's a Democrat and the incumbent Republican.

I'm almost tempted to write-in a candidate in the margins in the Senate section, but that would likely "mar" my ballot and they won't count it, so my only option seems to be the inability to vote for a Senator.

[Scout26]

In Illinois, you have to register as a write-in.  If no one registers as a write-in for that office, then no line appears on the ballot for a write-in.

[Northwoods]

Every single office on the WA ballot had a spot for write ins.  Even where there was an unopposed candidate.

[Scout26]

Again, depends on each state's election laws.