Primary election question

[agnes]

So we have local primaries this summer. The deadline to to file as a candidate for County Auditor-Controller was last week I think. I know in a normal year, if the incumbent runs in the primary and wins 50% they win the whole thing. No election after the primary. The incumbent isn’t running. There’s only one rando candidate who filed in time. Does that mean the one candidate will now be our Auditor-Controller by default?

[thejen626]

This depends entirely on your state/county/locality laws.

But most likely, yes.

Men/Republicans have been running for “boring” things for YEARS unopposed because no one is paying attention. So then they end up with allllll of this political experience but they are shitty.

[agnes]

Mar 29, 2022 21:25:29 GMT -5 thejen626 said:

This depends entirely on your state/county/locality laws.

But most likely, yes.

Men/Republicans have been running for “boring” things for YEARS unopposed because no one is paying attention. So then they end up with allllll of this political experience but they are shitty.

ugh this dude was already recalled as a city council member

PDQ poof

Hopefully he isn’t a dud or worse

[msmerymac]

Might depend on your write-in laws, but splitting the vote with write-in candidates would be very difficult.

[crispnclean]

In my state, candidates who are running as an Independent have a later filing deadline than those who are trying to get the nomination as a Republican or Democrat. The rules about this vary from one state to another, and even depend on the specific office.

But generally, yes, if there is no opposition, that person will be the only one on the ballot in the fall and will win the election.

[agnes]

Mar 30, 2022 9:26:07 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Might depend on your write-in laws, but splitting the vote with write-in candidates would be very difficult.

I think you have to somehow register as a write in candidate?  but I can't find anything confirming that. 

[agnes]

Mar 31, 2022 9:56:56 GMT -5 crispnclean said:

In my state, candidates who are running as an Independent have a later filing deadline than those who are trying to get the nomination as a Republican or Democrat. The rules about this vary from one state to another, and even depend on the specific office.

But generally, yes, if there is no opposition, that person will be the only one on the ballot in the fall and will win the election.

It's supposed to be a non-partisan position, so if someone wins in the primary with like 50% + 1 votes, there's no election in the fall.  Sucks this person just gets handed this position for the next 4 years with out actually having to do anything except file.