(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, nominees of any political party for United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, or state, district, county, township, or applicable municipal office to be voted upon at a general election shall be certified as having received a majority of the votes cast for the office, or as an unopposed candidate, at a primary election held by the political party in the manner provided by law.
(b) A new political party established by petition shall nominate any candidate by convention for the first general election after certification of a sufficient petition.