7.30.030 Ballots – Form.
The clerk shall prepare all official ballots to facilitate fairness, simplicity, and clarity in the voting procedure, to reflect most accurately the intent of the voter, and to expedite the administration of elections. The following directives shall be followed when applicable:
A. The clerk shall determine the size of the ballot, the type of print, necessary additional instructions to voters, and other similar matters of form not provided by law.
B. The clerk may contract for the preparation of ballots, instructions to voters, and other similar matters of form not provided by law without obtaining competitive bids.
C. Ballots shall be prepared in the manner prescribed by law for state elections, insofar as such prescription is applicable to nonpartisan elections. The ballots shall be numbered in series to assure simplicity and secrecy and to prevent fraud, the number being placed in an area set off by perforations for ease of removal.
D. All candidates to the same office shall be shown on one ballot. The title of each office to be filled shall be followed by the printed names of all candidates for that office, and provisions shall be made for write-ins equal in number to the positions to be filled. The names of candidates shall be printed as they appear upon the declaration of candidacy except that any honorary or assumed title or prefix shall be omitted. The words “Vote for not more than ______,” with the appropriate number replacing the blank, shall be placed before the lists of candidates for each office. Candidate names shall be listed in the order that candidacy declarations are filed.
E. Following the offices and candidates, there shall be placed on the ballot or on separate ballots, as the clerk may determine, all propositions or questions to be voted on. The words “YES” and “NO” shall be placed below the statement of each proposition or question. The clerk shall determine the number of ballots to be used to present all offices, propositions, and questions to the qualified voter.
F. Each ballot shall bear the words “Official Ballot” and the date of the election.
G. The clerk shall have printed and available at each polling place, on election day and in the clerk’s office preceding the election, sample ballots for each election. [Ord. FY2023-05 §2, 2022; Ord. FY2009-19 §2, 2009; Ord. 02-12 §2; Ord. 96-08 §2, 1996; Ord. 86-22-O §2, 1986].