According to this story, local election officials in New York are finding that many more write-in votes are being cast, now that the state has finally stopped using mechanical voting machines. Instead, New York voters mostly now use paper ballots, and it is easier for voters to cast a write-in. Mechanical voting machines required voters to find a slot near the top of the machine, and manipulate a small handle to open up the space on which to cast a write-in vote.