25-4503. Ballots; names of candidates; form, marking, return and canvass of ballots; notice; order of names on ballot. (a) The names of the candidates for nomination for president of the United States by a political party eligible to participate in a state primary election shall be printed on the official ballots for the presidential preference primary elections of their respective parties along with the choice of "none of the names shown." The ballots shall be marked, returned and canvassed in the same manner and under the same conditions, so far as the same are applicable, as in the case of the primary election of candidates for nomination for state offices.

(b) The official presidential preference primary election ballots shall be printed in a single column and shall have the following heading:

OFFICIAL PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY ELECTION BALLOT

______________Party

To vote for a person whose name is printed on the ballot make a cross or check mark in the square, or darken the oval, to the left of the name of the person for whom you desire to vote. To vote for "none of the names shown" make a cross or check mark in the square, or darken the oval, to the left of such words.

This shall be followed by the names of the candidates for president of the United States of such party in the manner and order certified by the secretary of state.

(c) (1) As soon as possible after the candidate filing deadline, the secretary of state shall certify to each county election officer the name of each person who is a candidate for nomination to be president of the United States of each party authorized to participate in the presidential preference primary election. The secretary of state shall publish, not less than 31 days prior to the presidential preference primary, a notice in one newspaper in each county of the state where a newspaper is published, that the official list of candidates and the date of the election can be acquired in the office of the secretary of state or the office of the county election officer. Such notice shall also be published on the secretary of state's website and on the website of each county election office.

(2) After such publication, the secretary of state shall certify the amount of moneys expended on such publication and shall transmit a copy of such certification to the director of accounts and reports. Upon receipt of such certification, the director of accounts and reports shall transfer an amount of moneys equal to such certified amounts from the state general fund to the information services fee fund of the secretary of state and shall transmit a notification of such transfer to the director of legislative research and the director of the budget.

(d) When a party participating in the presidential preference primary election has more than one candidate, the secretary of state shall determine by lot the order in which the candidates' names will appear on the ballot. The order of names, as established by the secretary of state, shall be uniform in each county throughout the state.

(e) (1) All such ballots that are received in the office of the county election officer or any polling place by the following times shall be delivered by the county election officer to the county board of canvassers for canvassing:

(A) For advance voting ballots transmitted in person, 12* noon on the day preceding such election; and

(B) for advance voting ballots transmitted by mail, the closing of the polls on the date of such election.

(2) An advance voting ballot shall not be counted if such ballot is received by the county election office or any polling place after the closing time of the polls on the date of such election.

History: L. 1978, ch. 141, § 3; L. 1979, ch. 113, § 2; L. 1992, ch. 6, § 5; L. 1993, ch. 287, § 14; L. 2011, ch. 112, § 3; L. 2023, ch. 67, § 6; July 1.

* The number "12" should have been "12:00" instead.