13-27-501. Secretary of state to certify ballot form -- abbreviated ballot. (1) The secretary of state shall furnish to the official of each county responsible for preparation and printing of the ballots, at the same time as he certifies the names of the persons who are candidates for offices to be filled at the election, a certified copy of the form in which each ballot issue to be voted on by the people at that election is to appear on the ballot.
     (2) Except as provided in subsection (4), the secretary of state shall list for each issue:
     (a) the number;
     (b) the method of placement on the ballot;
     (c) the title;
     (d) the attorney general's explanatory statement if applicable;
     (e) the fiscal statement if applicable; and
     (f) the statements of the implication of a vote for or against the issue that are to be placed beside the diagram for marking the ballot.
     (3) When required to do so, the secretary of state shall use for each ballot issue the title of the legislative act or legislative constitutional proposal or the title provided by the attorney general or district court. Following the number of the ballot issue, the secretary of state, when required to do so, shall include one of the following statements to identify why the issue has been placed on the ballot:
     (a) an act referred by the legislature;
     (b) an amendment to the constitution proposed by the legislature;
     (c) an act of the legislature referred by referendum petition; or
     (d) a law or constitutional amendment proposed by initiative petition.
     (4) The county election administrator may, at least 14 days prior to the deadline for ballot certification by the secretary of state, request in writing that he be furnished an abbreviated form of the certified ballot. The secretary of state shall furnish to all counties from which he has received such a request a certified ballot containing only the information in subsections (2)(a), (2)(e), and (2)(f). If the county election administrator requests that the abbreviated ballot be prepared, copies of the information contained in subsections (2)(a) through (2)(f) must be distributed to each elector by an election judge as the elector enters the polling place.

     History: En. 37-135 by Sec. 21, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-135(1); amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 400, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 336, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 669, L. 1983; (4)En. Sec. 2, Ch. 669, L. 1983.