(a) Whenever there is a known contested election for Speaker of the House of Representatives, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and in elections by the joint assembly of the Legislature, the Secretary of State shall prepare a ballot for each office, listing the names of the known candidates for the office in the alphabetical order of their surnames and leaving thereon sufficient blank spaces to take care of any nominations from the floor.

(b) A candidate for office shall, not later than one week preceding the election, notify the Secretary of State in writing of his or her candidacy, naming the particular office. If he or she fails so to notify the Secretary of State, his or her name shall not be printed on the ballot. No ballot may be used other than the official ballot provided by the Secretary of State. (Added 1959, No. 115; amended 1981, No. 239 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)