Editing Write-in candidate (section)

===Local government===
* Greg Hribal ran as a write-in candidate for village president/mayor of the [[Westchester, Illinois|Village of Westchester in Illinois]] in April of 2023, challenging the five balloted candidates after announcing his intentions 60 days before the election. Greg Hribal took the seat with 26.44% of the votes winning the election with 939 votes over second place Kevin McDermott, who obtained 685 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=|date=2023-04-17 |title=Hribal a write-in winner as Westchester village president - Village Free Press Hribal a write-in winner as Westchester village president |url=https://www.vfpress.news/articles/featured-stories/hribal-a-write-in-winner-as-westchester-village-president/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Village Free Press -}}</ref>
* Angela Allen was elected mayor of [[Tar Heel, North Carolina]] (population 115), as a write-in candidate in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/small-town-has-charm-of-its-own/article_ba841b88-d8ed-5934-96d6-de98ea77c022.html|title=Small town has charm of its own|first=Greg Barnes and MarCharia|last=Henderson}}</ref>
* Julia Allen of [[Readington Township, New Jersey|Readington, New Jersey]], won a write-in campaign in the November 2005 elections for the Township Committee,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/election/2005general/readington.htm#committee|title=2005 General Election results for Hunterdon County}}</ref> after a candidate accused of corruption had won the primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.braac.org/HCN-readington_campaign_violations.pdf|title=Reprint from The Huntington County News|access-date=February 14, 2008|archive-date=February 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216081312/http://www.braac.org/HCN-readington_campaign_violations.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Tom Ammiano]], President of the [[San Francisco Board of Supervisors]], entered the race for mayor of San Francisco as a write-in candidate two weeks before the 1999 general election. He received 25% of the vote, coming in second place and forcing incumbent Mayor [[Willie Brown (politician)|Willie Brown]] into a [[two-round system|runoff election]], which Brown won by margin of 59% to 40%. In 2001, the campaign was immortalized in the award-winning documentary film ''See How They Run''.
* [[John R. Brinkley]] ran as a write-in candidate for governor of Kansas in 1930. He was motivated at least in part by the state's revocation of his medical license and attempts to shut down his clinic, where he performed alternative medical procedures including transplantation of goat glands into humans. He won 29.5% of the vote in a three-way race. Brinkley's medical and political career are documented in Pope Brock's book ''Charlatan''.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/books/31maslin.html?_r=0 Fleecing the Sheep, Who Keep Coming Back for More</ref>
* [[Mike Duggan]] filed petition to run for mayor of [[Detroit]] in 2013; however, following a court challenge, Duggan's name was removed from the ballot. Duggan then campaigned as a write-in in the August 2013 primary, with the intent of being one of the top two vote-getters and thus advancing to the general election in November. Duggan received the highest number of votes in the primary, and advanced to the runoff in November. He eventually defeated challenger Sheriff Benny Napoleon and became the mayor of Detroit.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/07/mike-duggan-detroit-mayor-write-in_n_3721433.html |title=Mike Duggan, Write-In Candidate, Pulls Comeback In Detroit Mayoral Primary |work=Huffington Post |first=Kate |last=Abbeylambertz |date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Donna Frye]] ran as a write-in candidate for mayor of San Diego in 2004. A controversy erupted when several thousand votes for her were not counted because the voters had failed to fill in the bubble next to the write-in line. Had those votes been counted, she would have won the election.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/12/25/medias_role_clouds_san_diego_recount/|title=Media's role clouds San Diego recount |work=The Boston Globe |first=James|last=Rainey|date=December 25, 2004}}</ref>
* [[Michael Jarjura]] was re-elected mayor of [[Waterbury, Connecticut]], in 2005 as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic party primary to Karen Mulcahy, who used to serve as Waterbury's tax collector before Jarjura fired her in 2004 "for what he claimed was her rude and abusive conduct toward citizens".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=3947552&nav=3YeX|title=Waterbury mayor to wage write-in campaign}}</ref> After spending $100,000 on a general elections write-in campaign,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waterburyobserver.com/worxcms_published/recent_stories_94.shtml|title=The Waterbury Observer – The Write Stuff<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=August 22, 2006|archive-date=August 28, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060828080648/http://www.waterburyobserver.com/worxcms_published/recent_stories_94.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> Jarjura received 7,907 votes, enough for a plurality of 39%.<ref>[http://web.wtnh.com/2005vote/race192.html News Channel 8 / 2005 Vote Election Results<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* James Maher won the mayorship of [[Baxter Estates, New York]], on March 15, 2005, as a write-in candidate with 29 votes. Being the only one on the ballot, the incumbent mayor, James Neville, did not campaign, as he did not realize that there was a write-in campaign going on. Neville received only 13 votes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.antonnews.com/portwashingtonnews/2005/04/01/news/elections.html|title=Baxter Estates Mayor James Neville "Stunned" by Write-in Defeat|first=Dolores|last=Kazanjian O'Brien|publisher=Port Washington News|date=April 1, 2005|access-date=June 30, 2006}}</ref>
* Beverly O'Neil won a third term as Mayor of [[Long Beach, California]], as a write-in candidate in 2002. The Long Beach City City Charter has a [[term limit]] amendment that says a candidate cannot be on the ballot after two full terms, but does not prevent the person from running as a write-in candidate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://longbeach.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=186782&GUID=E700C5E7-4A2C-46FB-9E0B-EAE13A1063B2&Options=&Search=|title=City of Long Beach – File #: 07-0089|author=Darius Tajanko|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref> She finished first in a seven-candidate primary, but did not receive more than 50% of the vote, forcing a runoff contest. In the runoff, still restricted from the ballot, she got roughly 47% of the vote in a three-way election that included a second write-in candidate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_3942287 |title=Legacy of a Legend |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909023543/http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_3942287 |archive-date=September 9, 2012 |publisher=Long Beach Press-Telegram}}</ref>
* [[Michael Sessions]], an 18-year-old high school senior, won as a write-in candidate for Mayor of [[Hillsdale, Michigan]], in 2005. He was too young to qualify for the ballot.
* In 2021, [[Byron Brown]], the incumbent mayor of [[Buffalo, New York]], defeated [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] challenger [[India Walton]] in the general election, by running a successful write-in campaign after losing the Democratic primary to Walton.<ref>[[2021 Buffalo mayoral election]]</ref>
* In [[Galesburg, Illinois]], an error by the Galesburg Election Commission<ref name="wgil.com">http://www.wgil.com/newsarchive.php?xnewsaction=fullnews&newsarch=012011&newsid=150 {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> in late 2010 gave city council candidate Chuck Reynolds the wrong number of signatures he required to be on the ballot for the April 2011 city council election,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1958454815/Election-commission-upholds-challenge |title=Election commission upholds challenge - Galesburg, IL - the Register-Mail |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123185830/http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1958454815/Election-commission-upholds-challenge |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=}}</ref> resulting in his removal from the ballot when challenged by incumbent Russell Fleming.<ref name="wgil.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.galesburg.com/news/x703876634/Election-commission-delays-announcement |title=Election commission delays announcement - Galesburg, IL - the Register-Mail |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123214030/http://www.galesburg.com/news/x703876634/Election-commission-delays-announcement |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=}}</ref> Reynolds ran as a write-in vote<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1254713692/Reynolds-will-run-as-write-in-for-city-council-Ward-3 |title=Reynolds will run as write-in for city council Ward 3 - Galesburg, IL - the Register-Mail |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124000517/http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1254713692/Reynolds-will-run-as-write-in-for-city-council-Ward-3 |archive-date=January 24, 2013 |url-status=}}</ref> in the April 2011 election, and lost by nine votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.galesburg.com/x481356899/Recount-for-Galesburg-City-Council-Ward-3-seat-possible|title=Recount for Galesburg City Council Ward 3 seat possible|author=ERIC TIMMONS|work=The Register-Mail|access-date=April 15, 2016|archive-date=March 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325021747/http://www.galesburg.com/x481356899/recount-for-galesburg-city-council-ward-3-seat-possible|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.galesburg.com/news/x528727041/Final-count-confirms-Fleming-s-victory-for-Ward-3-council-seat |title=Final count confirms Fleming's victory for Ward 3 council seat - Galesburg, IL - the Register-Mail |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123152136/http://www.galesburg.com/news/x528727041/Final-count-confirms-Fleming-s-victory-for-Ward-3-council-seat |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=}}</ref>
* [[Anthony A. Williams]], then incumbent Mayor of Washington, D.C., was forced to run as a write-in candidate in the 2002 Democratic primary, because he had too many invalid signatures for his petition. He won the Democratic primary, and went on to win re-election.
* In the November 8, 2011, election for [[Commonwealth's Attorney]] of [[Richmond County, Virginia]], 16-year incumbent Wayne Emery was certified the winner as a write-in candidate over challenger James Monroe by a margin of 53 votes (2.4%) out of 2,230 votes cast, after his petitions were challenged and his name was removed from the ballot.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/nov/10/tdmet03-richmond-county-write-in-campaign-workedma-ar-1448412 |title=Richmond County write-in campaign worked…maybe - Richmond Times-Dispatch: News: News, state_regional, govt_politics |access-date=November 11, 2011 |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204093359/http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/nov/10/tdmet03-richmond-county-write-in-campaign-workedma-ar-1448412 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* In the August 4, 2020, primary election of [[Ypsilanti Township, Michigan]], Monica Ross-Williams, a then Ypsilanti Township Trustee,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.secondwavemedia.com/concentrate/devnews/westwillowtraffic0495.aspx |title=West Willow neighborhood committee tackles traffic safety issues near American Center for Mobility |website=Concentrate |date=March 20, 2019 |first=Sarah |last=Rigg}}</ref> received 3,478 write-in votes for Ypsilanti Township Clerk, for the highest number of write-in votes in any election in Washtenaw County, Michigan history.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://electionresults.ewashtenaw.org/electionreporting/aug2020/index.jsp |title=Washtenaw County Government AUGUST 4, 2020 STATE PRIMARY ELECTION |date=August 4, 2020 |website=Washtenaw County Government}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=August 2020}}
* In the 1997 election for Mayor of [[Talkeetna, Alaska]], [[Stubbs (cat)|Stubbs the Cat]] won over the two human candidates. He was re-elected every mayoral election thereafter, and served until his death on July 2, 2017.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2012/07/17/cat-marks-15-years-as-mayor-of-alaska-town/|title=Cat Marks 15 Years as Mayor of Alaska Town |publisher=[[Time Magazine]] |date=July 17, 2012|first=Amy|last=Friedman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/24/stubbs-cat-mayor-alaskan-town-talkeetna-20-years-dies-margarita|title=Feline sad: cat who was 'mayor' of Alaskan town for 20 years dies|work=[[The Guardian]] |date=July 23, 2017}}</ref>
* In 2011, in [[Pacific, Washington]], Marine veteran Cy Sun ousted incumbent mayor Rich Hildreth as a write-in candidate, using a comprehensive ground game in the small town to convince locals to support him over Hildreth, whom he accused of corruption. After the election, the county elections office reported that a sufficient number of write-ins votes had made it possible that a write-in could win,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.auburn-reporter.com/news/hildreth-has-early-lead-in-race-for-pacific-mayor/|access-date=December 15, 2020|date=November 9, 2011|title=Hildreth has early lead in race for Pacific mayor|work=Auburn Reporter}}</ref> and after a count of the write-ins, Sun beat Hildreth by 464 to 401.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nwasianweekly.com/2012/03/pacifics-new-mayor-wins-by-write-in-months-later-faces-controversy-over-medals/|access-date=December 15, 2020|date=March 22, 2012|title=Pacific's new mayor wins by write-in — months later, faces controversy over medals|work=Northwest Asian Weekly}}</ref> Sun's mayorship was plagued by political and physical challenges, and Sun would be recalled in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.q13fox.com/news/vote-certified-pacific-mayor-cy-sun-recalled-new-mayor-to-be-named-thursday|access-date=December 15, 2020|date=July 9, 2013|title=Vote certified: Pacific Mayor Cy Sun recalled; new mayor to be named Thursday|work=Q13 Fox|last=Cihon|first=Brett}}</ref>
* [[Eau Claire County, Wisconsin]] [[sheriff]] Ron Cramer,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.co.eau-claire.wi.us/departments/departments-l-z/sheriff|title=Sheriff - Eau Claire County|website=www.co.eau-claire.wi.us}}</ref> formerly a sheriff's deputy, won election as Eau Claire County's 47th sheriff, defeating disgraced 10-year incumbent sheriff Richard M. Hewitt in a write-in campaign hastily organized just weeks before the election in 1996. He has handily won reelection every four years since, usually running unopposed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.leadertelegram.com/News/Front-Page/2018/05/08/div-class-libPageBodyLinebreak-Cramer-in-the-running-again-div.html|title=Cramer in the running again for Eau Claire County sheriff|first=Christena T. |last=O'Brien|date=May 8, 2018|publisher=[[Eau Claire Leader-Telegram]]}}</ref>
* Lynda Neuwirth defeated the lone candidate on the ballot, Joseph DiPasquale, for the [[Ellicottville (village), New York|Ellicottville, New York]] [[justice of the peace|village justice]] position on March 19, 2019; Neuwirth received three votes to DiPasquale's two.<ref>{{cite news|first=Andy|last=Paulsen|url=http://wesb.com/write-in-candidate-wins-by-one-vote-in-ellicottville/|title=Write-in Candidate Wins By One Vote in Ellicottville|work=[[WESB]]|date=March 19, 2019|access-date=March 19, 2019}}</ref> Neuwirth was ousted after only two months in the position, as voters had approved a referendum abolishing the court the previous November; when the abolition was delayed two months, Neuwirth was not allowed to retain her seat and was replaced by a justice from [[Ellicottville (town), New York|the surrounding town]], which will absorb the village court's jurisdiction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oleantimesherald.com/olean/as-ellicottville-village-court-is-dissolved-town-courts-will-add/article_1cb6458a-f99c-549a-97fa-3996f335104b.html|title=As Ellicottville Village Court is dissolved, town courts will add to judicial duties|work=Olean Times Herald|date=July 23, 2019|access-date=July 23, 2019}}</ref>
* Lon Lafferty won as a write-in for the [[Martin County, Kentucky]] Judge Executive election in 2022, defeating four other write-in candidates—Marlena Slone, Jimmy Don Kerr, Benjamin York and Mitchell Crum—with approximately 60% of the vote. This election was solely decided by write-in—the first election in Martin County's history in which all of the candidates were write-ins—after the previous Judge Executive, Colby Kirk, resigned from office and withdrew his candidacy three weeks before the election to take over as President/CEO of economic development organization One East Kentucky. ([[Governor of Kentucky|Governor]] [[Andy Beshear]] had appointed Lafferty to fill the seat for the remaining two months of Kirk's term.)<ref>{{cite news|title=Interim Judge-Executive Lon Lafferty wins historic Martin County Judge-Executive election|url=https://www.wymt.com/2022/11/09/interim-judge-executive-lon-lafferty-wins-historic-martin-county-judge-executive-election/|author=Kirstin Baum|website=[[WYMT]]|date=November 9, 2022|access-date=December 16, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Write-in candidate selected by Gov. Andy Beshear to fill remainder of Martin County Judge Executive's term|url=https://www.wymt.com/2022/10/27/write-in-candidate-selected-by-gov-andy-beshear-fill-remainder-martin-county-judge-executives-term/|author=Brandon Robinson|website=WYMT|date=October 27, 2022|access-date=December 16, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231216151619/https://www.wymt.com/2022/10/27/write-in-candidate-selected-by-gov-andy-beshear-fill-remainder-martin-county-judge-executives-term/ |archive-date=December 16, 2023 }}</ref>