Kentucky Revised Statutes Title X. Elections § 118A.060.Petition for nomination; examination of petition; form and order of names on ballot; Secretary of State's duties; ballot position unalterable; certification of nomination

(1) Except as provided in KRS 118A.100, no person's name shall appear on a ballot, including an absentee ballot, for an office of the Court of Justice without first having been nominated as provided in this section.

(2) Each candidate for nomination shall file a petition for nomination with the Secretary of State not earlier than the first Wednesday after the first Monday in November of the year preceding the year in which the office will appear on the ballot and not later than the first Friday following the first Monday in January preceding the day fixed by law for holding the primary for the office. The petition shall be sworn to before an officer authorized to administer an oath by the candidate and by not less than two (2) registered voters from the district or circuit from which he or she seeks nomination. Signatures for nomination papers shall not be affixed on the document to be filed prior to the first Wednesday after the first Monday in November of the year preceding the year in which the office will appear on the ballot. The petition shall be filed no later than 4 p.m. local time at the place of filing when filed on the last date on which the papers are permitted to be filed.

(4) The Secretary of State shall examine the petition of each candidate to determine whether it is regular on its face. If there is an error, the Secretary of State shall notify the candidate by certified mail within twenty-four (24) hours of filing. The order of names on the ballot for each district or circuit, and numbered division if divisions exist, shall be determined by lot at a public drawing to be held in the office of the Secretary of State at 2 p.m., standard time, on the Thursday following the filing deadline for the primary as established in this section and in KRS 83A.045 and 118.165.

(5) Not later than the date set forth in KRS 118.215(1)(a) preceding the primary, and after the order of names on the ballot has been determined as required in subsection (4) of this section, the Secretary of State shall:

(6) The ballot position of a candidate shall not be changed after the ballot position has been designated by the Secretary of State.

(7) The county clerks of each county shall cause to be printed on the ballots for the primary the names of the candidates for offices in the Court of Justice.

(8) The names of the candidates shall be placed on the ballots in a separate column or columns or in a separate line or lines and identified by the words “Judicial Ballot.” The words “Vote for one,” or “Vote for one in each division,” shall be printed on the ballot in an appropriate location. The office, numbered division if divisions exist, and the candidates shall be clearly labeled. No party designation or emblem of any kind, nor any sign indicating any candidate's political belief or party affiliation, shall be used on the ballots.

(9) The two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes for nomination for justice or judge of a district or circuit, or numbered division if divisions exist, shall be nominated. Certificates of nomination shall be issued as provided in KRS 118A.190.

(10) If it appears after expiration of the time for filing petitions for nomination that there are not more than two (2) candidates who have filed the necessary petitions for a place on the ballot in the regular election, no drawing for ballot position shall be held and the Secretary of State shall immediately issue and file in the Secretary's office certificates of nomination, and send copies to the candidates.