(a) Primary petitions for major party candidates shall be filed not earlier than the fourth Monday in April and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday after the first Monday in May preceding the primary election prescribed by section 2351 of this chapter, and not later than 5:00 p.m. of the 62nd day prior to the day of a special primary election.

(b) A petition or statement of nomination shall apply only to the election cycle in which the petition or statement of nomination is filed. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 19; 2003, No. 59, § 11; 2009, No. 73 (Adj. Sess.), § 4, eff. April 7, 2010; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 16, eff. Jan. 1, 2016; 2017, No. 50, § 9.)