Do you have to mark the adjacent oval for a Maine write-in vote to count? | Fact brief

Under Maine law, a voter must both write the candidate’s name and fill in the adjacent oval for their write-in vote to be counted.

In most cases, votes for write-in candidates can only be counted if they filed a declaration of write-in candidacy with the Maine Secretary of State’s Office by 5 p.m. on the 70th day prior to the election. Running for president as a write-in requires additional steps.

Municipalities may choose whether to count votes for undeclared write-in candidates for local offices. Still, cities and towns must count all write-in votes in cases where there is no officially nominated candidate or where the candidate who was written in previously withdrew from the race.

If a declared write-in candidate receives at least 5% of the vote, the Secretary of State’s Office reports their total by name. Otherwise, those votes are grouped under “others.”