(a) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State, in the presence of the Governor, within thirty (30) days after the time allowed in this subchapter to make returns of elections by the county board of election commissioners, or sooner, if all the returns have been received, to cast up and arrange the votes from the several counties for each person who received votes for any legislative, judicial, or executive office, except the offices named in Arkansas Constitution, Article 6, § 3. The persons who have received the greatest number of legal votes for Justice of the Supreme Court and Commissioner of State Lands, within the state; judges of the Court of Appeals and of the circuit courts, and prosecuting attorneys, in their respective districts or circuits; judges of the county and probate courts, circuit clerk, county clerk, sheriff, coroner, surveyor, and assessor, in their respective counties; and all other officers required by law, shall be commissioned by the Governor.

(b)

(1) If two (2) or more persons have an equal number of votes for the same office and a higher number than any other person, the names of the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes for any legislative or executive office, except those offices named in Arkansas Constitution, Article 6, § 3, and constables, shall be certified to a special runoff election which shall be held four (4) weeks from the day on which the general election is held.

(2) The special runoff election shall be conducted in the same manner as is now provided by law, and the election results thereof shall be canvassed and certified in the manner provided by law.

(c) Subsection (b) of this section shall not apply to the offices of Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, circuit judge, or district judge.