Sec. 2.5. (a) A person who desires to be a write-in candidate for a federal, state, legislative, or local office or school board office in a general, municipal, or school board election must file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate with the officer with whom declaration of candidacy must be filed under sections 5 and 6 of this chapter.

     (b) The declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate required under subsection (a) must be signed before a person authorized to administer oaths and must certify the following information:

(1) The candidate’s name must be printed or typewritten as:

(A) the candidate wants the candidate’s name to be certified; and

(B) the candidate’s name is permitted to appear under IC 3-5-7.

A candidate must specify, by a designation described in IC 3-5-7-5, each designation that the candidate wants to use that is permitted by IC 3-5-7.

(2) A statement that the candidate is a registered voter and the location of the candidate’s precinct and township (or ward, if applicable, and city or town), county, and state.

(3) The candidate’s complete residence address, and if the candidate’s mailing address is different from the residence address, the mailing address.

(4) The candidate’s party affiliation or a statement that the candidate is an independent candidate (not affiliated with any party). The candidate may not claim affiliation with any political party described by IC 3-8-4-1.

(5) A statement of the candidate’s intention to be a write-in candidate, the name of the office, including the district, and the date and type of election.

(6) If the candidate is a candidate for the office of President or Vice President of the United States, a statement declaring the names of the individuals who have consented and are eligible to be the candidate’s candidates for presidential electors and each candidate for alternate presidential elector for each presidential elector.

(7) The following statements:

(A) A statement that the candidate has attached either of the following to the declaration:

(i) A copy of a statement of economic interests, file stamped by the office required to receive the statement of economic interests.

(ii) A receipt or photocopy of a receipt showing that a statement of economic interests has been filed.

This requirement does not apply to a candidate for a federal office.

(B) A statement that the candidate understands that if the candidate is elected to the office, the candidate may be required to obtain and file an individual surety bond before serving in the office. This requirement does not apply to a candidate for a federal office or legislative office.

(C) A statement that the candidate understands that if the candidate is elected to the office, the candidate may be required to successfully complete training or have attained certification related to service in an elected office. This requirement does not apply to a candidate for a federal office, state office, or legislative office.

(D) A statement that the candidate:

(i) is aware of the provisions of IC 3-9 regarding campaign finance and the reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures; and

(ii) agrees to comply with the provisions of IC 3-9.

This requirement does not apply to a candidate for a federal office.

The candidate must separately initial each of the statements required by this subdivision.

(8) A statement as to whether the candidate has:

(A) been a candidate for state, legislative, or local office in a previous primary or general election; and

(B) filed all reports required by IC 3-9-5-10 for all previous candidacies.

(9) If the candidate is subject to IC 3-9-1-5, a statement that the candidate has filed a campaign finance statement of organization for the candidate’s principal committee or is aware that the candidate may be required to file a campaign finance statement of organization not later than noon seven (7) days after the final date to file the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate under section 4 of this chapter.

(10) If the candidate is subject to IC 3-9-1-5.5, a statement that the candidate is required to file a campaign finance statement of organization under IC 3-9 after the first of either of the following occurs:

(A) The candidate receives more than five hundred dollars ($500) in contributions.

(B) The candidate makes more than five hundred dollars ($500) in expenditures.

(11) A statement that the candidate complies with all requirements under the laws of Indiana to be a candidate for the above named office, including any applicable residency requirements, and that the candidate is not ineligible to be a candidate due to a criminal conviction that would prohibit the candidate from serving in the office.

(12) The candidate’s signature and telephone number.

     (c) At the time of filing the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, the write-in candidate is considered a candidate for all purposes.

     (d) A write-in candidate must comply with the requirements under IC 3-8-1 that apply to the office to which the write-in candidate seeks election.

     (e) A person may not be a write-in candidate in a contest for nomination or for election to a political party office.

     (f) A write-in candidate for the office of President or Vice President of the United States must list the following:

(1) The names of the write-in candidate’s candidates for presidential elector. A write-in candidate may not list more than the total number of presidential electors to be chosen in Indiana under this subdivision.

(2) The name of the write-in candidate’s candidate for each alternate presidential elector for each presidential elector.

     (g) The election division shall provide that the form of a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate includes the following information:

(1) The dates for filing campaign finance reports under IC 3-9.

(2) The penalties for late filing of campaign finance reports under IC 3-9.

     (h) A declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate must include a statement that the candidate requests the name on the candidate’s voter registration record be the same as the name the candidate uses on the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate. If there is a difference between the name on the candidate’s declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate and the name on the candidate’s voter registration record, the officer with whom the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate is filed shall forward the information to the voter registration officer of the appropriate county as required by IC 3-5-7-6(d). The voter registration officer of the appropriate county shall change the name on the candidate’s voter registration record to be the same as the name on the candidate’s declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.

As added by P.L.4-1991, SEC.34. Amended by P.L.1-1992, SEC.3; P.L.10-1992, SEC.11; P.L.3-1993, SEC.57; P.L.3-1995, SEC.50; P.L.3-1997, SEC.118; P.L.202-1999, SEC.2; P.L.26-2000, SEC.6; P.L.66-2003, SEC.13; P.L.217-2013, SEC.1; P.L.76-2014, SEC.14; P.L.169-2015, SEC.52; P.L.74-2017, SEC.21; P.L.201-2017, SEC.8; P.L.227-2023, SEC.37.