163-299. Ballots; municipal primaries and elections.

(a) The ballots printed for use in general and special elections under the provisions of this Article shall contain:

(1) The names of all candidates who have been put in nomination in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter by any political party recognized in this State, or, in nonpartisan municipal elections, the names of all candidates who have filed notices of candidacy or who have been nominated in a nonpartisan primary.

(2) The names of all persons who have qualified as unaffiliated candidates under the provisions of G.S. 163-296.

(3) All questions, issues and propositions to be voted on by the people.

(b) The form of municipal ballots to be used in partisan municipal elections shall be the same as the form prescribed in this Chapter for the county ballot.

(c) The names of candidates for nomination or election in municipal primaries or elections shall be placed on the ballot in strict alphabetical order, unless the municipal governing body has adopted a resolution no later than 60 days prior to a primary or election requesting that candidates' names be rotated on ballots. In the event such a resolution has been adopted, then the board of elections responsible for printing the ballots shall have them printed so that the name of each candidate shall, as far as practicable, occupy alternate positions on the ballot; to that end the name of each candidate shall occupy with reference to the name of every other candidate for the same office, first position, second position and every other position, if any, upon an equal number of ballots, and the ballots shall be distributed among the precinct voting places impartially and without discrimination.

(d) The provisions of Articles 14A and 15A of this Chapter shall apply to ballots used in municipal primaries and elections in the same manner as it is applied to county ballots.

(e) The rules contained in G.S. 163-182.1 and G.S. 163-182.2 for counting primary ballots shall be followed in counting ballots in municipal primaries and nonpartisan primaries.

(f) The requirements contained in G.S. 163-182.2(b) shall apply to all municipal elections.

(g) The county board of elections shall, in addition to the requirements contained in G.S. 163-182.5 canvass the results in a nonpartisan municipal primary, election or runoff election, and in a special district election, the number of legal votes cast in each precinct for each candidate, the name of each person voted for, and the total number of votes cast in the municipality or special district for each person for each different office.