No nominations shall be effective except those of the 7 candidates from New Castle County in favor of ratification, the 7 candidates from New Castle County against ratification and the 7 candidates from New Castle County not committed to either ratification or rejection of the proposed amendment, the 5 candidates from Kent County in favor of ratification, the 5 candidates from Kent County against ratification and the 5 candidates from Kent County not committed to either ratification or rejection of the proposed amendment, the 5 candidates from Sussex County in favor of ratification, the 5 candidates from Sussex County against ratification and the 5 candidates from Sussex County not committed to either ratification or rejection of the proposed amendment, whose nomination petitions have respectively been signed by the largest number of qualified persons, ties to be decided by lot drawn by the Department.