Party membership required for nomination of party; effect of inactive registration; exceptions. (1) If a candidate has not been a member of the major political party for at least 180 days before the deadline for filing a nominating petition or declaration of candidacy, the candidate shall not be entitled to receive the nomination of that major political party. If a candidate’s registration becomes inactive, the inactive status shall not constitute a lapse of membership in the party if, immediately before the registration became inactive, the candidate was a member of the party and was not a member of any other political party within the 180 days preceding the deadline for filing a nominating petition or declaration of candidacy

(2) The requirement that the candidate be qualified by length of membership does not apply to:

(a) Any candidate whose 18th birthday falls within the period of 180 days;

(b) A write-in candidate; or

(c) Any candidate for the office of precinct committeeperson who becomes a United States citizen within the period of 180 days. [1979 c.190 §108; 1991 c.719 §6; 1995 c.742 §11; 2023 c.136 §2]