Special precautions and strict counting procedures are being instituted as Davis County election officials prepare to handle a write-in campaign in Tuesday's election.
County Clerk Glen Saunders said state law is specific on how write-in votes are tabulated.Voters wanting to cast write-in votes must write the candidate's name and office on the secrecy envelope in which the computerized punch card ballot is enclosed. If the candidate provides them, peel-off stickers can be used, he said.
And, Saunders said, state law is specific that ballot counters must try to determine the intent of the voter when faced with misspellings or variations on a candidate's name.
People who vote a straight ticket on the computer ballot and then go back and write in a candidate's name will have the computer name discounted in favor of the write-in, also according to state law, Saunders said.