TrustVoting Atlas

candidate; write-in candidate for precinct delegate; forms; information.
Sec. 737a.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the board of election inspectors shall not
count a write-in vote for a person unless that person has filed a declaration of intent to be a
write-in candidate as provided in this section. The write-in candidate shall file the declaration
of intent to be a write-in candidate with the filing official for that elective office on or before 4
p.m. on the second Friday immediately before the election. The secretary of state, immediately
after the 4 p.m. filing deadline under this subsection, shall prepare and have delivered a list of
all persons who have filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate under this
subsection, if any, to the appropriate county clerks. A filing official other than the secretary of
state who receives a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate or list of persons who filed
a declaration of intent from another filing official under this subsection shall prepare and have
delivered a list of all persons who have filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate
to the board of election inspectors in the appropriate precincts before the close of the polls on
election day.
(2) If a candidate whose name is printed on the official ballot for the election dies or is
otherwise disqualified after 4 p.m. on the second Friday immediately before the election, the
requirement of filing a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate under subsection (1)

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does not apply to a write-in candidate. If a death or disqualification has occurred as described
in this subsection, the board of election inspectors shall count all write-in votes for write-in
candidates for the office sought by the deceased or disqualified candidate.
(3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to a write-in candidate for precinct delegate. The
board of election inspectors shall not count a write-in vote for a write-in candidate for precinct
delegate unless that candidate has filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate as
provided in this subsection. A write-in candidate for precinct delegate shall file a declaration
of intent to be a write-in candidate with the county clerk of the county in which that precinct is
located on or before 4 p.m. on the Friday immediately before the election or with the board of
election inspectors in the appropriate precinct before the close of the polls on election day. A
county clerk who receives a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate from a write-in
candidate for precinct delegate under this subsection shall prepare and have delivered a list of
all persons who have filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate to the city and
township clerks for the appropriate precincts before election day. A city or township clerk shall
deliver a list of all persons who have filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for
precinct delegate to the board of election inspectors in the appropriate precincts before the
close of the polls on election day.
(4) The secretary of state shall prescribe forms for the declaration of intent to be a write-in
candidate. Clerks shall maintain a supply of declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate
forms in the clerk's office and make the forms available in the polling places during the August
primary for this purpose. The declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate form must
include all of the following information:
(a) The name of the person intending to be a write-in candidate.
(b) The elective office that the person seeks as a write-in candidate.
(c) The residence address of the person seeking elective office as a write-in candidate.
(d) Other information the secretary of state considers appropriate.