19:23-25. Make up and printing ballot

19:23-25. The ballots shall be made up and printed in substantially the following form:

Each ballot shall have at the top a coupon at least two inches deep extending across the ballot above a perforated line. The coupon shall be numbered for each of the political parties, respectively, from one consecutively to the number of ballots delivered and received by the election officers of the respective polling places. Upon the coupon and above the perforated line shall be the words "To be torn off by the judge of election. Fold to this line." Below the perforated line shall be printed the words "Official Democratic Party Primary Ballot," or "Official Republican Party Primary Ballot," or, as the case may be, naming the proper political party, as provided in this Title; below which and extending across the ballot in one or more lines, as may be necessary, shall be printed the words ................ name of municipality ................... ward ................ election district ..................... date of election ................... John Doe, municipal clerk; the blank spaces shall be filled in with the name of the proper municipality, the ward and the district number and the date of election. The name of the municipal clerk shall be a facsimile of his signature. This heading shall be set apart from the body of the ballot by a heavy diagram rule. Below this rule shall be printed the following directions instructing the voter how to indicate his choice for each office and position, and for how many persons to vote for each office and position: To vote for any person whose name is printed upon this ballot mark a cross x , plus + or check with ink or pencil in the square at the left of the name of such person. To vote for any person whose name is not printed upon this ballot write or paste the name in the blank space under the proper title of office and mark a cross x , plus + or check with ink or pencil in the square at the left of the name of such person. Below these instructions shall be printed a heavy diagram rule below which shall be printed the titles of offices and positions for which candidates are to be voted for at the primary election, together with such directions to the voter as may be necessary, as "Vote for one," "Vote for two," or a greater number, as the case may be. Underneath the proper title of office and position shall be printed the names of all those persons certified as candidates for the offices to the municipal clerk by the county clerk as hereinbefore provided, and the names of persons indorsed as such candidates in petitions on file in the office of the municipal clerk as they appear signed to the certificate of acceptance. The name of any person indorsed in a petition as provided who shall fail to certify his consent and agreement to be a candidate for nomination to the office specified therein shall not be printed upon the ballots to be used at the primary election. In the case of a vacancy among nominees the name of the person selected in the manner provided in this Title to fill same shall be printed upon the ballots in the place of the person vacating such nomination. The candidates shall be arranged in groups and the groups bracketed in all cases where the petitions indorsing such candidates request such grouping. The designation named by candidates in their petitions for nomination, as provided by this Title shall be printed to the right of the names of such candidates or groups of candidates in as large type as the space will allow. Immediately to the left and on the same line with the name of each candidate for office and position shall be printed a square approximately one-quarter of an inch in size, or by printing vertical single line rules connecting the single line rules between the names of the candidates and thus form a square in which the voter shall indicate his choice. A single light-faced rule shall be used to separate the different names in each group of candidates. A heavy diagram rule shall be used between each group of candidates for different offices. Where candidates are arranged in groups and the groups bracketed, the groups shall be separated from other groups and candidates by two single line rules approximately one-eighth of an inch apart.

Each primary ballot shall contain, at the end of the list of candidates for each different office, blank squares and spaces or lines equal to the number of persons to be elected to the office, for the purpose of allowing any voter to write or paste the name of any person for whom he desires to vote for any office or party position.

Amended 1947,c.104,s.8; 1994,c.77,s.10.