(a) The Board of Ballot Commissioner shall provide cards of general information and cards of instruction for voters in preparing their ballots, and shall furnish such cards to the Commissioners of Election at the time they deliver the ballots for each precinct. The Commissioners of Election shall post one instruction card in each voting booth giving instructions to the voters on how to prepare the ballots for deposit in the ballot boxes and how to obtain a new ballot in place of one accidentally spoiled. The Commissioners of Election shall post one or more other cards of general information at places inside and outside of the voting place where voters pass or wait to vote.
The Ballot Commissioners shall also cause to be printed, on a different color paper than the official ballot, ten or more copies of the ballots provided for each voting place, which shall be designated sample ballots, and shall be furnished and posted with the cards of general information at each voting place.
(b) It shall be the duty of the Board of Ballot Commissioners to provide printed ballots for every municipal election of officers and cause to be printed on such ballots the name of every candidate who has filed a certificate of candidacy with the Recorder indicating on its face that the said candidate is eligible to serve in the office for which he or she has filed. The Ballot Commissioners, in preparation of such ballots, shall cause to be printed thereon, in plainly worded language, the number of candidates to be selected for each office.
Official ballots shall be printed in black ink upon number two, white book paper. Official ballots shall be printed in a quantity not more than one and one-fifth times the number of registered voters in the City.
The Board of Ballot Commissioners shall have official ballots printed at least forty-two days before the date of the municipal election. The printing of the ballots, and all other printing caused to be done by the Board of Ballot Commissioners, shall be contracted for with the lowest responsible bidder. Ballots other than these caused to be printed by the Board of Ballot Commissioners shall not be cast, received or counted in any municipal election.
Official ballots contain the names of candidates listed beneath the heading of each respective office. The arrangement of names for all offices shall be determined by lot according to the following:
(1) On the fourth Tuesday following the close of the candidate filing period, beginning at the hour designated by the Recorder, a drawing by lot shall be conducted in the Ripley Municipal Building in a room or office designated by the Recorder. Notice of the drawing shall be given on the form for the certificate of announcement, and no further notice shall be required. The Recorder shall superintend and conduct the drawing.
(2) The position of each candidate within each office division shall be determined by the position drawn for that candidate individually. Vacant positions where fewer candidates than officers to be elected have filed, shall appear following the names of candidates for office within each office division.
Each package of ballots shall be sealed with wax, and plainly marked with the number of ballots therein, the name of the precinct and the number of the voting place, to which it is intended to be sent.
(1960 Code 107-1, 107-2)