Chapter 6. Ballots
601. Official and specimen ballots; penalty for imitating.
602. Contents of ballots.
603. Printing and distributing ballots.
604. Withdrawal of candidates; notice; reprinting of ballots, costs.
605. Substitute candidates; insertion of names on ballots and notice at polling places.
606. Ballots to remain until polls open.
(a) All elections held in accordance with the provisions of this title shall be held by official ballot only. An official ballot is a written or printed, or partly written and partly printed, paper, designated as an official ballot and containing the names of persons to be voted for and the office to be filled, and issued by the Election Commissioner. The Election Commissioner shall have printed two exact copies of each official ballot which is to be used in the general election, for each voting place, such copies to have printed thereon, in large bold letters, and with ink of a color plainly contrasting to the color of the paper used, the word "Specimen". Two copies of each such specimen ballots shall be forwarded to the members of the board of the election at the same time with the official ballots and the member or members of the election board shall post one of each such specimen ballots on either side of the entrance of the voting place or other places plainly in sight for the general public.
(b) Any person who knowingly, wilfully, and unlawfully prints, copies, imitates, or distributes, or causes to be printed, copied, imitated, or distributed any official ballot or any document that is so substantially similar in style or content to the official ballot as to cause the likelihood of confusion with the official ballot without the authorization of the Election Commissioner shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Source: YSL 2-81 1, modified.
Cross-reference: The Legislature is authorized to provide for the method of voting at elections pursuant to Yap Const., Art. IV, Sect. 2.
A ballot shall contain the names of
the persons and the offices to be voted for and the election district in
which the election is being held, and the term or terms of the respective
offices being voted for.
Source: YSL 2-81 1, modified.
(a) The ballots shall be printed by order of the Election Commissioner at government expense. The Election Commissioner shall deliver an adequate amount of ballots to each election district.
(b) The Election Commissioner shall print a specimen ballot and shall forthwith submit copies of the same to the members of the several boards of election and to the several candidates at their addresses as given on their nomination papers, and the members of the boards shall post a copy of the same in a conspicuous place in their office or a public place.
Source: YSL 2-81 1, modified.
Cross-reference: The statutory provision governing election expenses is found in section 106 of chapter 1 of this title.
(a) Any candidate may withdraw before an election by giving notice in writing to the member or members of the board of election or to the Election Commissioner, whichever is more practical, in the election district in which such candidate was seeking nomination or election. If a candidate withdraws after the printing of the ballots, the Election Commissioner shall cause the name of the candidate so withdrawing and the name of any candidate who may have died, to be stricken from the ballots and, in that regard, may require the services of the election board of the election district or precinct in which any person was a candidate and shall notify in writing such election board of the withdrawal of death, whereupon notice thereof shall, before the opening of the polls on election day, be posted at the polling place.
(b) If a candidate withdraws his name before an election and the ballots are in the process of or have been printed and it becomes necessary in the opinion of the Election Commissioner or the election board for a reprinting of the ballots or a striking out of a candidate's name by a reprint block-out, all expenses thereof, except in case of a withdrawal necessitated for medical cause and so certified by a physician, shall be charged against the withdrawing candidate and shall be paid by him within 30 days after such withdrawal to the Election Commissioner. Monies so received shall be paid to the Treasurer to remain available for conducting general and special elections.
(c) Any person who shall, directly or indirectly, threaten or intimidate any candidate so as to cause or attempt to cause the candidate to withdraw from an election shall upon conviction be fined not more than $2,000.00, or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
Source: YSL 2-81 1, modified.
In the case of the death, withdrawal,
or disqualification of candidates after the deadline for filing
nominations, substitute candidates may be nominated before the date of an
election. A person nominated as a substitute for a candidate
nominated by petition must be nominated by petition in the same manner as
the candidate who has died, withdrawn, or been disqualified. The
Election Commissioner in the case of any substitute candidate filling a
vacancy caused by death, withdrawal, or disqualification of a candidate
shall cause the name of any substitute candidate to be placed upon the
proper ballots by reprinting, over-printing or through the use of stamps
or such other means as the Election Commissioner may deem satisfactory for
the purpose and may require the services of members of the election board
who may be in the election district or precinct in which such a person is
a candidate. The election board shall post a notice at the polling
place of the name and office sought by any such substitute
candidate.
Source: YSL 2-81 1, modified.
When printed, the ballots shall be
fastened together in blocks of 25 each, in such manner that each ballot
may be detached and removed separately. They shall be forwarded by
the Election Commissioner to the member or members of the election board
in sealed packages, which shall not be opened until the opening of the
polls. A record of the number of ballots sent to each election board
member shall be kept by the Election Commissioner.
Source: YSL 2-81 1, modified.