16-466. Ballots and ballot labels; electromechanical

  1. Ballots and ballot labels shall, as far as practicable, be in the same order of arrangement as provided for paper ballots, except that such information may be printed in vertical or horizontal rows, or in a number of separate pages which are placed on the voting device.

  2. Ballot labels shall be printed in plain clear type in black ink and, for use in a general election, upon clear white materials and be of such size and arrangement as to fit the construction of the voting device or the vote tabulating equipment. Ballots prepared for use in a primary election shall be printed on material of a different color designation for each political party represented. Ballots may contain printed code marks or punched holes which may be used for placing the ballots in correct reading positions in counting devices. The code marks or punched holes shall not be used in any way that will reveal the identity of the voters voting the ballot.

  3. The titles of offices may be arranged in vertical columns or in a series of separate pages and shall be printed above or at the side of the names of candidates so as to indicate clearly the candidates for each office and the number to be elected. In case there are more candidates for an office than can be printed in one column or on one ballot page, the ballot label shall be clearly marked that the list of candidates is continued on the following column or page, and insofar as may be practicable, the same number of names shall be printed on each column or page.

  4. In primary and nonpartisan elections the names of candidates for each office shall appear on the ballot or ballot labels so that each candidate occupies each position on the ballot or ballot labels substantially the same number of times insofar as may be practicable. If there are fewer or the same number of candidates seeking office than the number to be elected, rotation of names shall not be required and the names shall be placed in alphabetical order.

  5. In primary elections for a judicial office if there are two or more candidates of the same political party their names shall be alternated on the ballots so that the name of each candidate shall appear substantially an equal number of times in each possible location on the ballot.

  6. Two sample ballots, which shall be facsimile copies of the official ballot or ballot labels, shall be provided for each polling place and shall be posted on election day as provided for paper ballots. Sample ballots may be printed on a single page or on a number of pages stapled together.


WARNING - The above text was curent June 2003, but may be outdated now.