In an American election, the ballot paper lists the official candidates with a box beside each name — but there is usually one blank line at the bottom where you can write any name you like. A write-in is a vote cast that way, and by extension the candidate who gets such votes: "a write-in vote", "a write-in candidate", or just "He ran as a write-in".

In an American election在美國選舉裡，the ballot paper選票 lists列出 the official candidates正式候選人，with a box beside each name每個名字旁邊有個框——but但 at the bottom底部 usually通常 there is有 one blank line一條空白線，where you can write在那裡你可以寫上 any name you like任何你喜歡的名字。 A write-in is是 cast that way用那種方式投出 a vote的一票，and by extension延伸下去 the candidate who gets such votes也指得到這種票的候選人："a write-in vote"、"a write-in candidate"，or just或就說 "He ran as a write-in"。

This is very much an American word; if you are talking about Taiwan's elections, or Britain's, there is nothing to translate, because their ballots do not have that blank line.

This這 is very much an American word是不折不扣的美國字；if you are talking about如果你在講 Taiwan's elections台灣的選舉，or Britain's或英國的，there is nothing to translate就沒有什麼可對譯的，because因為 their ballots那裡的選票 do not have沒有 that blank line那條空白線。

Most write-in votes are protest votes or jokes — people write in a cartoon character, a dead celebrity, their own dog — and they are counted but almost never win. That makes the rare exception famous: a write-in candidate actually winning a US Senate seat is the kind of thing people remember for decades.

Most write-in votes大多數的 write-in 票 are protest votes or jokes是抗議票或玩笑——people人們 write in寫上 a cartoon character卡通人物、a dead celebrity過世的名人、their own dog自家的狗——and they are counted而這些票會被計入，but almost never win但幾乎從來不會贏。 That這 makes讓 the rare exception罕見的例外 famous出名：a write-in candidate一位 write-in 候選人 actually真的 winning a US Senate seat贏下美國參議院席次，is是 people人們 for decades幾十年 remember都記得 the kind of thing的那種事。

Note the hyphen and the stress: WRITE-in, with the weight on the first part, because it is a noun made from the two-word verb "write in". Compare the verb: "I wrote in her name" (stress on "in").

Note注意 the hyphen連字號 and the stress和重音：WRITE-in，with the weight on the first part重量落在前半，because因為 it它 is是 made from the two-word verb "write in"從兩個字的動詞 "write in" 做出來 a noun的名詞。 Compare the verb比較動詞："I wrote in her name"我把她的名字寫上去了（stress on "in"重音在 "in"）。

It is also used loosely for any written suggestion sent in by a member of the public, but the election meaning is the main one.

It它 also也 is used loosely被鬆散地用來 for指 sent in by a member of the public民眾寄來的 any written suggestion任何書面建議，but但 the election meaning選舉的那個意思 is the main one才是主要的。