If a candidate dies, withdraws, or leaves his or her political party after the ballots are printed but before the election is held, there are different ways in which legislation can deal with the problem. It is useful to define in legislation or regulations for the election the administrative actions to be taken on the death or withdrawal (due to resignation or expulsion) of a candidate, whether as an individual candidate or a member of a party or group list for election.

It is good practice that whatever administrative or legal actions are taken following the death or withdrawal of a candidate are formally communicated by the election administration to all other candidates, groups, or parties whose candidature has been accepted for the affected election.

The administrative actions taken would generally be of greater sensitivity where the candidate has been nominated for an election in which each candidate appears individually on the ballot, as any replacement candidate would ideally have to go through the same nomination process the original candidate went through – e.g., collecting signatures, public inspection of nominating petitions, etc. – which would be very time consuming. Where only party or group list names appear on the ballot, equitable election systems would contain mechanisms for substitution of another candidate from the list, or another party or group nominee, were the candidate to be elected.

Sometimes a candidate wants to withdraw his consent to nomination. It is generally not practicable, and may invite intimidation of candidates, for systems to allow withdrawal after the closing time for nominations (however, this is allowed, within a short period after close of nominations, in some jurisdictions, particularly at the local government level).

Countries often require that a request for withdrawal of candidacy be in the form of a signed, witnessed statement by the candidate.