(1) At the general election, 1974, and every four (4) years thereafter, a clerk of the district court shall be elected in every county. The clerk of the district court shall be the ex officio auditor and recorder.
(2) No person shall be elected to the office of clerk of the district court unless he has attained the age of twenty-one (21) years at the time of his election, is a citizen of the United States, and shall have resided within the county one (1) year next preceding his election.
(3) Each candidate shall file his declaration of candidacy with the county clerk.
(4) Each candidate who files a declaration of candidacy shall at the same time pay a filing fee of forty dollars ($40.00) which shall be deposited in the county treasury.