ELECTIONS: Write-in candidates confirmed for local elections

Months after area voters headed to the polls for the May primaries, Allegheny County’s election board has confirmed a list of write-in candidates who will appear on the ballot in November.

Unlike conventional primary candidates whose names appear on the primary ballots, write-in candidates are “written in” by residents at the polls.

Write-in candidacies arise from a number of different scenarios.

Traditionally, write-in nominations have enabled voters to rally grassroots-style around an eligible community member who hasn’t put themself forward for office.

In other cases, candidates may announce a write-in campaign because they decided to run after the primary application deadline, or they may accept a write-in nomination from an opposing party after falling short in a primary contest.

In other cases, residents lead the drive to get an eligible community member to run for office.

Some candidates accept a write-in nomination.

To win a write-in nomination, candidates must tally above a minimum threshold of votes, and must also gain a higher share than others written in to represent the same office and party. Candidates must then accept the nomination before the final results are approved by the board of elections.

Candidates who won their party’s regular primary contest can also accept write-in nominations from a differing party, as many do to ward off challengers appearing on the general election ballot.

Using information provided by the county election board, we have listed below all write-in candidates who will appear on the ballots Nov. 2.