The good news is you’re not looking to win a general election as a Write-in Candidate. Winning a Primary… We’ll that’s a different ballgame.
Running a write-in campaign during a general election in November is extremely difficult. However, if you are trying to get on the Ballot for a November General Election… the way to achieve this is by winning a Primary Election on September 3rd, 2024.
In Massachusetts, it’s actually quite easy to get on the November General Election Ballot because so many Democrats run unopposed.
- For State Representative all you need is 150 votes during the Primary Election to make the November Ballot.
- For State Senate, all you need is 300 votes on the Primary Election Day to make the November Ballot.
Quick Steps to Getting on the Ballot
This is what you need to do now….
1. Check to see who your representative or State Senator is. FindMyLegislatorNow
2. Check to see if they already have an opponent.
- Check to see who is running for State Representative on 9/3/2024 and if they have an opponent
- Check to see who is running for State Senate on 9/3/2024 and if they have an opponent
- If you see this wording on the Republican side – “No candidates filed for the Republican primary”
- If your unenrolled, You Need to go to Town Clerk and Register as a Republican.
- It’s a GO for You!!!
3. Create a list of all Family, Friends and Acquaintances who live in your district. Here is a Voter Template (PDF) or Voter Template (Excel XLS) to use.
4. Verify that if you are seeking the Republican Party Nomination, that your committed voters are registered as either Republican or Unenrolled… and they ask for a Republican Ballot on September 3rd, 2024
5. Provide Your Name, Address and Town to Your Friends and ask them to either place the sticker you provide or WRITE IN Your Name, Address and Town on either Representative in General Court or State Senate, depending on what office you seek. (I can;t stress enough, a mailing label cut down to size is the easy way to go. (See Example)
Very Important: The sticker for an individual candidate should be 4” long by 5/16” high to fit in the ballot space, even though the law allows a sticker to be 4 ½” long by ½” high. A preprinted “X” is not required but may be printed on the right side of the sticker.
1. More Detailed General Requirements: Link to Secy of State Site
- The first step is contacting your local election office. They can explain the process and show you where voters can write-in your name and address.
- It is recommended that you let local election officials know if you plan to run a write-in campaign, so they can prepare the election workers who will be counting the votes.
- Inform the Town Clerks, Registrars of the different variations someone might use when writing your name on the ballot. Eg: John Smith, 123 Main St, Groton, MA might be written as John Smith, Groton, MA or John Smith Main St Groton, or J Smith Groton, MA
- Voters will need to write your name and address in the blank “write-in” space on their ballot. If you’re giving voters a sticker, make sure the sticker has your full name and address.
- I strongly encourage you to provide stickers… Use Mailing Labels, cut them in half, and make sure your full name and address is printed on each label. The sticker for an individual candidate should be 4” long by 5/16” high to fit in the ballot space, even though the law allows a sticker to be 4 ½” long by ½” high. A preprinted “X” is not required but may be printed on the right side of the sticker.
- Then hand out the labels to your supporters and even those who show up to vote on election day. Remember, the 150-foot campaigning law. (See below)
- Voters will need to know how to write your name correctly, and where to write it on the ballot. If a voter misspells your name or address, the vote can still be counted, as long as the election worker can figure out the voter’s intent. If they write-in or stick on your information but don’t fill in the vote indicator, their vote can still be counted.
- Make sure voters know what office you’re running for. If they write your name in for a different office, their vote will count for that office, instead of the one you’re running for.
- You can’t hand out campaign materials within 150 feet of a polling location. This includes stickers. The polling place, the building that the polling place is in, the walls of the building, the building grounds, and 150 feet from the building’s entrance are all off limits.
- Filing: Massachusetts may have specific filing requirements even for write-in candidates. Check with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth for details.
- If you are going to spend money or collect donations, you need to open a campaign committee with OCPF in Massachusetts. With only 2 weeks til the Primary Election…. You can do this without spending money! It’s not a lot of votes. Just takes a lot of time and you need to get organized! Once you win… You will Definitely have to Open a Committee and the State GOP can assist you.
2. Build Your Campaign Team
- You don’t have much time…. You need to make this happen yourself.
- No real time for a Campaign Manager. If you can, find someone organized and experienced to manage your campaign.
- Volunteers: Recruit volunteers to help with canvassing, phone banking, and other campaign activities. You need volunteers.
3. Develop Your Platform
- Key Issues: Identify the key issues that matter to your constituents and develop clear, concise positions on them.
- Messaging: Create a compelling message that resonates with voters and clearly differentiates you from other candidates.
4. Get the Word Out
- Social Media: Use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to spread your message and engage with voters.
- Website: Create a website to provide information about your campaign, your platform, and how to get involved.
- Press Releases: Send press releases to local media to gain coverage of your campaign.
- Texting: Text Your Friends, Neighbors, Associates and let them know your running. Text them your name, address and Office Title so they can save your text and write you in manually on Election Day.
5. Educate Voters on the Write-In Process
- Instructions: Clearly explain to voters how to write in your name on the ballot. This often involves writing your name in a specific section and filling in a corresponding bubble.
- Visual Aids: Use images and videos to demonstrate the write-in process.
6. Campaign Activities
- Canvassing: Go door-to-door to talk to voters directly.
- Events: Hold events like town halls, meet-and-greets, and fundraisers to connect with voters.
- Mailers: Send informational mailers to households in your district.
7. Monitor and Adjust
- Feedback: Continuously gather feedback from voters and adjust your strategy as needed.
- Polls: No Time for Polls for this write-in campaign. When you get on the ballot, you could conduct informal polls to gauge voter support and identify areas for improvement.
8. Get Out the Vote
- Reminders: Send reminders to your supporters to vote on election day
- Text Your Supporters on Election Day.
- Email Your Supporters on Election Day
- Phone Your Supporters on Election Day
- Transportation: Offer transportation to the polls for those who need it.
And Remember, ALWAYS ASK FOR THEIR VOTE!
By following these steps, you can effectively run a write-in campaign for state representative or state senate in Massachusetts. Good luck!