20

I'm looking through old election returns and saw that a candidate in the 1942 Michigan Senate election is listed as a "sticker candidate".

Image

What is a "sticker candidate"?

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
31

I think it's another name for a write-in candidate. According to Wikipedia's page on write-in candidates (under the heading "How to write in the name"):

Some U.S. states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker, with the write-in candidate's name, to the ballot in lieu of actually writing in the candidate's name.

Wikipedia's page on the 1942 Senate elections, under the heading for the state of Michigan list Gerald L. K. Smits (the one from your picture) with the label (sticker), just like in your picture.

On Wikipedia's page on the 1942 Senate election in Michigan he has the label (write-in) instead.

As such, I'd conclude that (sticker) indicates he was a write-in candidate.

Improve this answer
2
  • 5
    That's a good way to ensure the "write" in is actually written legibly and spelled right. I'd never thought of that before.
    – Bobson
    Oct 31, 2021 at 14:35
  • 2
    There's a write-in campaign in Buffalo, New York right now (the incumbent Mayor lost his primary and is running as a write-in candidate in the general after his lawsuits to get on the ballot failed) that has ordered a large quantity of stamps to distribute to supporters. Apparently stickers aren't legal in New York for this purpose, but stamps are.
    – Zach Lipton
    Nov 1, 2021 at 20:34

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .