Section 6-158. Nominating and designating petitions and certificates, conventions; times for filing and holding

1.  A  designating  petition
  shall  be  filed not earlier than the tenth Monday before, and not later
  than the ninth Thursday preceding the primary election.
    2. A certificate of acceptance or declination of a  designation  shall
  be  filed  not later than the fourth day after the last day to file such
  designation.
    3. A certificate  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  a  designation  caused  by
  declination  shall be filed not later than the fourth day after the last
  day to decline. A certificate to fill a vacancy in a designation  caused
  by  death  or  disqualification  shall  be filed not later than ten days
  after such death or disqualification or four  days  before  the  primary
  election, whichever is earlier.
    4. A petition of enrolled members of a party requesting an opportunity
  to write in the name of an undesignated candidate for a public office or
  party  position  at a primary election shall be filed not later than the
  eighth  Thursday  preceding  the  primary  election.  However,  where  a
  designating  petition  has  been  filed and the person named therein has
  declined such designation and another person has been designated to fill
  the vacancy, then in that event, a petition for an opportunity to ballot
  in a primary election shall be filed not later than the seventh Thursday
  preceding such primary election.
    5. A judicial district convention shall be held not earlier  than  the
  Tuesday  following  the  third Monday in September preceding the general
  election and not later than the fourth  Monday  in  September  preceding
  such election.
    6.  A certificate of a party nomination made other than at the primary
  election for an office to be filled at the time of  a  general  election
  shall  be  filed  not  later  than  seven  days  after  the fall primary
  election, except that a certificate of nomination for  an  office  which
  becomes  vacant  after  the  seventh day preceding such primary election
  shall be filed not later than fourteen days after the creation  of  such
  vacancy  and  except, further, that a certificate of party nomination of
  candidates for elector of president and  vice-president  of  the  United
  States  shall  be  filed  not  later  than  fourteen days after the fall
  primary election, and except still further that a certificate  of  party
  nomination  made  at  a  judicial district convention shall be filed not
  later than the day after the last day to hold such  convention  and  the
  minutes   of  such  convention,  duly  certified  by  the  chairman  and
  secretary, shall be filed within seventy-two hours after adjournment  of
  the  convention.   A certificate of party nomination for an office to be
  filled at a special election shall be filed  not  later  than  ten  days
  following the issuance of a proclamation of such election.
    7.  A  certificate  of acceptance or declination of a party nomination
  made other than at a primary election for an office to be filled at  the
  time  of  a general election shall be filed not later than the third day
  after the last day to file the certificate of such party  nomination.  A
  certificate  of  acceptance  or declination of a party nomination for an
  office to be filled at a special election shall be filed not later  than
  twelve days following the issuance of a proclamation of such election.
    8.  A certificate to fill a vacancy caused by a declination of a party
  nomination for an office to be filled at the time of a general  election
  shall  be filed not later than four days after the last day to file such
  declination, except that if such nomination  was  made  at  the  primary
  election,  such certificate shall be filed not later than ten days after
  the last day to file such declination.  A certificate to fill a  vacancy
  caused by a declination of a party nomination for an office to be filled
  at  a  special  election  shall  be  filed  not later than fourteen days

  following the issuance of a proclamation of such election. A certificate
  to fill a vacancy in a nomination caused by  death  or  disqualification
  shall   be   filed   not  later  than  ten  days  after  such  death  or
  disqualification or four days before the election, whichever is earlier.
    9. A petition for an independent nomination for an office to be filled
  at the time of a general election shall be filed not earlier than twelve
  weeks  and  not  later  than  eleven  weeks  preceding  such election. A
  petition for an independent nomination for an office to be filled  at  a
  special election shall be filed not later than twelve days following the
  issuance  of  a proclamation of such election. A petition for trustee of
  the Long Island Power Authority shall be filed not  earlier  than  seven
  weeks  and not later than six weeks preceding the day of the election of
  such trustees.
    10. Notwithstanding any other  provisions  of  law,  where  a  vacancy
  occurs  less than fourteen days before the last day for the filing of an
  independent petition for an office to be filled at the time of a general
  election, or after the last day to file an  independent  petition,  such
  petition may be filed for the said office within fourteen days after the
  vacancy  occurs.  A  certificate of acceptance or declination in such an
  event shall be filed within two days thereafter  and  a  certificate  to
  fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  declination shall be filed within two days
  after such declination has been filed.
    11. A certificate of  acceptance  or  declination  of  an  independent
  nomination  for an office to be filled at the time of a general election
  shall be filed not later than the third day after the  eleventh  Tuesday
  preceding  such  election  except  that  a  candidate  who  files such a
  certificate of acceptance for an office for which there have been  filed
  certificates  or  petitions  designating more than one candidate for the
  nomination  of  any  party,  may  thereafter  file  a   certificate   of
  declination  not later than the third day after the primary election.  A
  certificate of acceptance or declination of  an  independent  nomination
  for  an  office  to  be  filled at a special election shall be filed not
  later than fourteen days following the issuance  of  a  proclamation  of
  such election.
    12.  A  certificate  to  fill  a vacancy caused by a declination of an
  independent nomination for an office to be  filled  at  the  time  of  a
  general  election  shall be filed not later than the sixth day after the
  eleventh Tuesday preceding  such  election.  A  certificate  to  fill  a
  vacancy  caused  by  a  declination  of an independent nomination for an
  office to be filled at a special election shall be filed not later  than
  sixteen days following the issuance of a proclamation of such election.
    13. If a vacancy occurs too late to comply with the provisions of this
  section,  the  certificates of nomination, certificates of acceptance or
  declination, certificates to fill  a  vacancy  in  such  nomination  and
  certificates  of authorization of a nomination shall be filed as soon as
  practicable.
    14. A vacancy occurring before September twentieth of any year in  any
  office  authorized  to  be  filled  at a general election, except in the
  offices of governor, lieutenant-governor, or United States senator shall
  be filled at the general election held next thereafter, unless otherwise
  provided by the constitution, or unless previously filled at  a  special
  election.