32-617.

Nomination by petition; requirements; procedure.

(1) Petitions for nomination for partisan and nonpartisan offices shall conform to the requirements of section 32-628. Petitions shall state the office to be filled and the name and address of the candidate. Petitions for partisan office shall also indicate the party affiliation of the candidate. A sample copy of the petition shall be filed with the filing officer prior to circulation. Petitions shall be signed by registered voters residing in the district or political subdivision in which the officer is to be elected and shall be filed with the filing officer in the same manner as provided for candidate filing forms in section 32-607. Petition signers and petition circulators shall conform to the requirements of sections 32-629 and 32-630. No petition for nomination shall be filed unless there is attached thereto a receipt showing the payment of the filing fee required pursuant to section 32-608. Such petitions shall be filed by September 1 in the year of the general election, and all signed petitions not filed with the Secretary of State by such date shall become invalid.

(2) The filing officer shall verify the signatures according to section 32-631. Within three days after the signatures on a petition for nomination have been verified pursuant to such section and the filing officer has determined that pursuant to section 32-618 a sufficient number of registered voters signed the petitions, the filing officer shall notify the candidate so nominated by registered or certified mail or electronic mail, and the candidate shall, within five days after the date of receiving such notification, file with such officer his or her acceptance of the nomination or his or her name will not be printed on the ballot.

(3) A candidate placed on the ballot by petition shall be termed a candidate by petition. The words BY PETITION shall be printed upon the ballot after the name of each candidate by petition.