(a) A political party may impose a filing fee for candidates seeking nomination by that party. The filing fee for county, municipal, and township offices shall be fixed by the county committee, as authorized by the state executive committee. For all other races, the filing fee shall be established by the state executive committee. On or before noon of the last day of the political party filing period, all candidates at primary elections of political parties shall file an affidavit of eligibility and any pledge required by such party and shall pay the party filing fees required by the party, as follows:
(1) Candidates for United States Senator, for United States Representative, and for all state offices shall file the pledge and the affidavit of eligibility and pay the party filing fees with the secretary of the state committee of the political party or his or her designated agent;
(2) Candidates for district offices, including, but not limited to, the offices of State Representative and State Senator, shall file the pledge and affidavit of eligibility with the secretary of the state committee of the political party or his or her designated agent and pay the party filing fees with the secretary of the state committee of the political party or his or her designated agent; and
(3) All candidates for county, municipal, and township offices, candidates for county committee member, and delegates to the county convention shall file the pledge and the affidavit of eligibility and pay the party filing fees with the secretary of the county committee of the political party.
(b) The county clerk shall not accept for filing the political practices pledge of any candidate for nomination by a political party to any county, township, or partisan municipal office, nor shall the Secretary of State accept for filing the political practices pledge of any candidate for nomination by a political party to any state or district office, unless the candidate first files a party certificate.
(c) Any candidate who shall fail to file the party pledge and affidavit of eligibility and pay the party filing fee at the time and in the manner as provided in this section shall not receive a party certificate and shall not have his or her name printed on the ballot at any primary election.
(d) The names of candidates who file with the state committee as provided in this section shall be certified to the various county committees and the various county boards of election commissioners in the manner and at the time provided in § 7-7-203.