Section 115.237

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS

Chapter 115

Effective - 28 Aug 2006, 4 histories, see footnote   (history) 

  115.237.  Ballots, contents of — form of — straight political party ticket voting prohibited — rulemaking authority. — 1. Each ballot printed or designed for use with an electronic voting system for any election pursuant to this chapter shall contain all questions and the names of all offices and candidates certified or filed pursuant to this chapter and no other. As far as practicable, all questions and the names of all offices and candidates for which each voter is entitled to vote shall be printed on one page except for the ballot for political party committee persons in polling places not utilizing an electronic voting system which may be printed separately and in conformity with the requirements contained in this section. As far as practicable, ballots containing only questions and the names of nonpartisan offices and candidates shall be printed in accordance with the provisions of this section, except that the ballot information may be listed in vertical or horizontal rows. The names of candidates for each office shall be listed in the order in which they are filed.

  2. Except as provided in subsection 5 of this section, each ballot shall have:

  (1) Each party name printed in capital letters not less than eighteen point in size;

  (2) The name of each office printed in capital letters not less than eight point in size;

  (3) The name of each candidate printed in capital letters not less than ten point in size;

  (4) A small square, the sides of which shall not be less than one-fourth inch in length, printed directly to the left of each candidate's name and on the same line as the candidate's name. When write-in votes are authorized and no candidate's name is to be printed under the name of an office in a party or nonpartisan column, under the name of the office in the column shall be printed a square. Directly to the right of the square shall be printed a horizontal line on which the voter may vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot. When more than one position is to be filled for an office, and the number of candidates' names under the office in a column is less than the number of positions to be filled, the number of squares and write-in lines printed in the column shall equal the difference between the number of candidates' names and the number of positions to be filled;

  (5) The list of candidates of each party and all nonpartisan candidates placed in separate columns with a heavy vertical line between each list;

  (6) A horizontal line extending across the ballot three-eighths of an inch below the last name or write-in line under each office in such a manner that the names of all candidates and all write-in lines for the same office appear between the same horizontal lines. If write-in votes are not authorized, the horizontal line shall extend across the ballot three-eighths of an inch below the name of the last candidate under each office;

  (7) In a separate column or beneath a heavy horizontal line under all names and write-in lines, all questions;

  (8) At least three-eighths of an inch below all other matter on the ballot, printed in ten-point Gothic type, the words "Instructions to Voters" followed by directions to the voter on marking the ballot as provided in section 115.439;

  (9) Printed at the top on the face of the ballot the words "Official Ballot" followed by the date of the election and the statement "Instruction to Voters: Place an X in the square opposite the name of the person for whom you wish to vote.".

  3. As nearly as practicable, each ballot shall be in substantially the following form:

OFFICIAL BALLOT		DATE……………………
REPUBLICAN	DEMOCRAT	THIRD PARTY	INDEPENDENT
For President And Vice President []…….	For President And Vice President []…….	For President And Vice President []…….	For President And Vice President   []…….
For United States Senator []…….	For United States Senator []……….	For United States Senator []……….	For United States Senator []……….
For Governor []………….	For Governor []………….	For Governor []………….	For Governor []………….
For Lieutenant Governor []…………	For Lieutenant Governor []…………	For Lieutenant Governor []…………	For Lieutenant Governor []…………
For Secretary of State []…………	For Secretary of State []…………	For Secretary of State []…………	For Secretary   of State   []…………
For Treasurer []…………	For Treasurer []…………	For Treasurer []…………	For Treasurer []…………
For Attorney General []…………	For Attorney General []…………	For Attorney General []…………	For Attorney General []…………
For United States Representative []…………	For United States Representative []…………	For United States Representative []…………	For United States Representative []…………
For State Senator []…………	For State Senator []…………	For State Senator []…………	For State  Senator []…………
For State Representative []…………	For State Representative []…………	For State Representative []…………	For State Representative []…………
For Circuit Judge []…………	For Circuit Judge []…………	For Circuit Judge []…………	For Circuit Judge   []…………

  4. No ballot printed or designed for use with an electronic voting system for any partisan election held under this chapter shall allow a person to vote a straight political party ticket. For purposes of this subsection, a "straight political party ticket" means voting for all of the candidates for elective office who are on the ballot representing a single political party by a single selection on the ballot.

  5. The secretary of state shall promulgate rules that specify uniform standards for ballot layout for each electronic or computerized ballot counting system approved under the provisions of section 115.225 so that the ballot used with any counting system is, where possible, consistent with the intent of this section. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the format specified in this section if it does not meet the requirements of the ballot counting system used by the election authority.

  6. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2002, shall be invalid and void.

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(L. 1977 H.B. 101 § 8.101, A.L. 1979 S.B. 275, A.L. 1982 S.B. 526, A.L. 2002 S.B. 675, A.L. 2006 S.B. 1014 & 730)