A write-in candidate is a person whose name is not officially on the ballot but is written in by voters. However, there are several synonyms that could be used to describe this type of candidate, including "incumbent challenger," "dark horse candidate," "surprise candidate," "independent candidate," and "petition candidate." An incumbent challenger refers to a sitting officeholder who is running for re-election but faces opposition from a write-in candidate. A dark horse candidate is someone who has little to no political experience and is not expected to win but surprises everyone by being a strong contender. A surprise candidate is similar to a dark horse candidate in that they are unexpected but may have more political experience. An independent candidate is someone who is not affiliated with any political party, while a petition candidate is someone who collects a certain number of signatures to get their name on the ballot.