The name of a candidate authorized by law to appear on a ballot in a general, special, or primary election in this State for any office may be one of the following or a combination of them:

(1) the candidate's given name;

(2) a derivative of the candidate's given name properly acquired under the common law and used in good faith for honest purposes; or

(3) a nickname which bears no relation to the candidate's given name but which is used in good faith for honest purposes and does not exceed fifteen letters on the ballot.

The derivative name or nickname may not imply professional or social status, an office, or military rank.

A candidate wanting to use a derivative name or a nickname, as permitted by items (2) and (3), respectively, of this section, shall notify the authority responsible by law for conducting the election, in writing, before a deadline for receiving or certifying candidates' names for inclusion on the ballot, the name he wishes to have appear and shall present evidence required by the authority conducting the election that the name indicated is his derivative name or nickname. In deciding whether the name indicated is the candidate's derivative name or nickname, the authority conducting the election shall consider appropriate criteria, including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) whether the name is the designation by which the candidate is usually and commonly known in the community in which he resides or called by other persons;

(b) whether the name is the designation by which the candidate calls himself or which he has adopted;

(c) whether the name is the designation under which the candidate transacts private and official business.

The State Election Commission may promulgate regulations to carry out the provisions of the section, including, but not limited to, forms to be completed by the candidate and the deadline by which a candidate shall indicate the name he wished to have appear on the ballot.

HISTORY: 1987 Act No. 180 Section 1, eff June 30, 1987; 1989 Act No. 106, Section 1, eff May 31, 1989.