Texas Republican Introduces Bill to Make 'None of the Above' an Option on Election Ballot

A Texas Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill proposing that voters be allowed to select "none of the above" on election ballots.

Frustration with limited choices in elections has long been a topic of discussion among voters, with some expressing discontent by abstaining or leaving sections of the ballot blank.

Nevada is currently the only state to offer a "None of the Above" option, providing an alternative when voters are dissatisfied with candidates, which typically garners around 1–2% of votes.

The concept gained renewed attention during the last presidential election, when a North Texas teacher legally changed his name to "Literally Anybody Else" and ran as a satirical candidate.

House Bill 1476, filed by Houston-area Republican Rep. Valoree Swanson for the upcoming 2025 legislative session, seeks to add "None of the Above" as a formal ballot option, NBCDFW reported.

The bill would apply to all races, including local and statewide elections, offering voters a way to register dissatisfaction with the available candidates.

However, experts like Josh Blank, a pollster at the University of Texas at Austin, caution that such a measure could create additional challenges, including legal uncertainty and potential disputes over its impact on election outcomes.

"Voters already have the ability to express their displeasure with the candidates by simply not showing up or leaving that particular race blank. And many voters choose not to vote in all of the races that are available to them," Blank told NBCDFW.

Swanson has yet to publicly comment on the bill.