(1) Except as provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section and in KRS 118.115, every political party shall nominate all of its candidates for elective offices to be voted for at any regular election at a primary held as provided in this chapter, and the governing authority of any political party shall have no power to nominate any candidate for any elective office or to provide any method of nominating candidates for any elective office other than by a primary as provided in this chapter.
(2) Any political organization not constituting a political party as defined in KRS 118.015 may make its nominations as provided in KRS 118.325.
(3) If a vacancy occurs in the nomination of an unopposed candidate or in a nomination made by the primary more than ten (10) days before the certification of candidates for the regular election made under KRS 118.215, because of death or severe disabling condition which arose after the nomination, the governing authority of the party may provide for filling the vacancy, but only following certification to the governing authority, by the Secretary of State, that a vacancy exists for a reason specified in this subsection. When such a nomination has been made, the certificate of nomination shall be signed by the chair and secretary of the governing authority of the party making it, and shall be filed in the same manner as certificates of nomination at a primary.
(4) If a vacancy occurs in the nomination of an unopposed candidate or in a nomination made by the primary more than ten (10) days before the certification of candidates for the regular election, and if that party's nominee was the only political party candidate for the office sought, the governing authority of each party may nominate a candidate for the regular election, provided that no person has sought that party's nomination by filing a notification and declaration.
(5) If a vacancy occurs in the nomination of a candidate under the conditions of subsection (3) or (4) of this section, certificates of nomination for replacement candidates shall be filed in the same manner as provided in subsections (3) and (4) not later than 4 p.m. on the date of certification.
(6) This section does not apply to candidates for members of boards of education, or presidential electors, nor to candidates participating in nonpartisan elections. However, regardless of the number of days served by a judge acting as a Senior Status Special Judge, a judge who elected to retire as a Senior Status Special Judge in accordance with KRS 21.580 shall not become a candidate for any elected office during the five (5) year term prescribed in KRS 21.580(1)(a)1.