The petition shall be signed by legally qualified voters of this State residing within the district or political division in and for which the officer or officers nominated are to be elected, equal in number to at least five percent of the entire vote cast for members of the General Assembly at the last preceding general election, held for the election of all of the members of the General Assembly, in the State, county, district or other political division in and for which the nominations are made; except that when the nomination is for an office to be filled by the voters of the entire State 2,000 signatures in the aggregate for each candidate nominated in the petition shall be sufficient; and except that no more than 250 signatures shall be required to any petition for any officers to be elected save only such as are to be voted for by the voters of the State at large.
In case of a first general election to be held in a newly established election district, county, city or other political division, the number of 50 signatures to a petition shall be sufficient to nominate a candidate to be voted for only in such election district, county, city or other political division.
A candidate shall be permitted to sign or circulate, or both sign and circulate, the petition required to nominate that candidate for elective public office.