Do you have to fill out your entire ballot? What to know about leaving fields blank while voting
As Americans go to the polls, some voters may — for whatever reason — decide they don't want to vote in every single race or on every initiative.
Voting in some races, but not all, is called "undervoting." But in every single state, the ballot counts regardless.
In other words, if you vote in only down-ballot races, or only in the presidential race, your ballot still counts, and your vote will be tabulated for whatever race or races in which you vote.
"Yes; you don't need to vote in every race on the election ballot," said Paul Schiff Berman, law professor at The George Washington University Law School.
One can, of course, also write in a candidate instead of marking the available candidate options.
- More than 55 million people have voted early in run-up to Election Day
- Map shows which states offer early voting and mail-in ballots for the 2024 election
- Map shows where RFK Jr. is on the ballot in the 2024 election
Even if a voter isn't voting on everything on the ballot, you'll still need to mark your vote clearly, and follow all steps set out in your state, such as adding signatures or placing your ballot in a secrecy sleeve. Election officials encourage voters to read instructions closely and carefully when voting by mail or in person.
Gallup estimates that more than half of all ballots will be cast before Election Day.
Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, along with their running mates, are blitzing key battleground states ahead of Tuesday, with five days to go until polls close.
