Section 115.321

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS

Chapter 115

Effective - 28 Aug 1993   

  115.321.  Independent candidate, how nominated. — 1.  Any person desiring to be an independent candidate for any office to be filled by voters throughout the state, or for any congressional district, state senate district, state representative district, or circuit judge district, shall file a petition with the secretary of state.  Any person desiring to be an independent candidate for any county office shall file a petition with the election authority of the county.

  2.  Each page or a sheet attached to each page of each petition for the nomination of an independent candidate shall:

  (1)  Declare concisely the intention to nominate an independent candidate;

  (2)  State the name and address, including street and number, of the independent candidate.  If independent candidates for presidential elector are to be nominated, a number of independent candidates for presidential elector equal to the number of electors to which the state is entitled shall be nominated by one petition, and the name of their candidate for president and the name of their candidate for vice president shall be printed on each page or a sheet attached to each page of the petition.  At least one qualified resident of each congressional district shall be named as a nominee for presidential elector, and the name and address of each candidate shall be printed on each page or a sheet attached to each page of the petition.  The names of the candidates for president and vice president shall not be printed on the official ballot without the written consent of such persons.  Their written consent shall accompany and be deemed part of the petition;

  (3)  State the office for which candidate is to be nominated.

  3.  If an independent candidate is to be nominated for a statewide office, the petition shall be signed by at least ten thousand registered voters of the state.

  4.  If the independent candidate is to be nominated for a district or county office, the petition shall be signed by the number of registered voters in the district or county which is equal to at least two percent of the total number of voters who voted at the last election for candidates for the office being sought or is equal to ten thousand voters, whichever is less.

  5.  The name of each person who files a valid petition for nomination as an independent candidate shall be placed on the official ballot as an independent candidate for the office at the next general election or the special election if the petition nominates a candidate to fill a vacancy which is to be filled at a special election.  If presidential electors are nominated by the petition, the names of the candidates for elector shall not be placed on the official ballot, but the name of their candidate for president and the name of their candidate for vice president shall be placed on the official ballot at the next presidential election.

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(L. 1977 H.B. 101 § 10.045, A.L. 1985 H.B. 620, A.L. 1993 S.B. 31)