[EL] Laws About Candidate Name Form On Ballot

Sat Feb 27 22:45:48 PST 2016

Hi All,

Does anyone know of sources of information about state requirements
pertaining to how candidate names may/must appear on ballots?  I'm
interested in things like whether candidate nicknames are allowed on the
ballot, whether they must be set off by quotes if they appear, whether only
legal names can be used, whether middle initials must be used, whether
diminutive versions of first names are permitted, etc.  I'm not asking
about write-ins or ballot order.

I include a few states' provisions below, Nevada having the most extensive
among them.

Thanks,

Carl

NV

http://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-293.html#NRS293Sec256

*NRS **293.256* *Names of candidates on ballots not to include title,
designation of profession or occupation.* In any election regulated by this
chapter, the names of candidates as printed on the ballot shall not include
any title, designation or other reference which will indicate the
profession or occupation of such candidates.  (Added to NRS by 1969,
20; A 1995,
2624
<http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Statutes/68th/Stats199514.html#Stats199514page2624>
)

*NRS **293.2565* *Use of given names, surnames and nicknames on ballot; use
of additional criteria to distinguish between candidates having same given
names and surnames.*

      1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, in any election
regulated by this chapter, the name of a candidate printed on a ballot may
be the given name and surname of the candidate or a contraction or familiar
form of his or her given name followed by his or her surname. A nickname of
not more than 10 letters may be incorporated into the name of a candidate.
The nickname must be in quotation marks and appear immediately before the
surname of the candidate. A nickname must not indicate any political,
economic, social or religious view or affiliation and must not be the name
of any person, living or dead, whose reputation is known on a statewide,
nationwide or worldwide basis, or in any other manner deceive a voter
regarding the person or principles for which he or she is voting.

      2. In any election regulated by this chapter, if two or more
candidates have the same given name and surname and:

      (a) None of the candidates is an incumbent, the middle names or
middle initials, if any, of the candidates must be included in the names of
the candidates; or

      (b) One of the candidates is an incumbent, the name of the incumbent
must be listed first and the word “Incumbent” must appear next to the name
of the candidate who is the incumbent.

      (Added to NRS by 2003, 1714
<http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Statutes/72nd/Stats200314.html#Stats200314page1714>;
A 2011, 2086
<http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Statutes/76th2011/Stats201117.html#Stats201117page2086>
)

AR

http://www.arkansas.gov/sbec/faqs/

*Q*: Must the county clerk provide the county board of election
commissioners with copies of each candidate’s political practices pledge?

*A:* A candidate for county, township, school, and municipal office files
his or her political practices pledge with the county clerk, but the county
board of election commissioners is responsible for certifying the form in
which these candidates’ names will appear on the ballot.

The law does not specify a format for providing the information to the
county board. It is the opinion of the State Board staff that the best
practice would be for the county clerk to provide copies of the political
practices pledges to the county board of election commissioners for the
purpose of reviewing the names and titles proposed to be used by the
candidates to ensure compliance with the requirements of the law. [A.C.A.
§§ 6-14-111; 7-6-102; 7-7-305(c); 7-10-103(f)]

CA

Pretty permissive.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=elec&group=13001-14000&file=13100-13121

13103.  Every ballot shall contain all of the following:

   (a) The title of each office, arranged to conform as nearly as

practicable to the plan set forth in this chapter.

   (b) The names of all qualified candidates, except that:

   (1) Instead of the names of candidates for delegate to the

national conventions, there shall be printed the names of the

presidential candidates to whom they are pledged or the names of

candidates for chairmen of party national convention delegations.

   (2) Instead of the names of candidates for presidential electors,

there shall be printed in pairs the names of the candidates of the

respective parties for President and Vice President of the United

States. These names shall appear under the title "President and Vice

President."

   (c) The titles and summaries of measures submitted to vote of the

voters.

13104.  If a candidate changes his or her name within one year of

any election, the new name shall not appear upon the ballot unless

the change was made by either of the following:

   (a) Marriage.

   (b) Decree of any court of competent jurisdiction.

DE

http://delcode.delaware.gov/title15/c045/index.shtml

Doesn’t say anything about the form of the names.

TX

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/EL/htm/EL.52.htm

(b) A candidate's name shall be placed on the ballot in the form indicated
on the candidate's application or, if the application was not filed with
the authority, in the form certified to the authority.

-- 

Dr. Carl Klarner

Academic / Political Consultant

Klarnerpolitics.com

Former Associate Professor of Political Science

Carl.Klarner at gmail.com

Cell: 812-514-9060
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