(a) There shall be a primary election of city officers on the first Tuesday in August of each odd-numbered and even-numbered year, if needed.

(b) In cities in which a district method of election is in effect, if there are more than three qualified candidates for any member district, the county election officer shall call, and there shall be held, a primary election in each such member district. The names of the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes for any such member district at the primary election shall appear on the ballots in the general election. If there are three or fewer qualified candidates for any member district there shall not be a primary election and the names of the candidates shall be placed on the ballots in the general election.

(c) In cities in which the election at large method of election is in effect, if there are more than three times the number of candidates as there are members to be elected, the county election officer shall call, and there shall be held, a primary election. The names of twice the number of candidates as there are members to be elected who received the greatest number of votes at the primary election shall appear on the ballots in the general election. If there are not more than three times the number of candidates as there are members to be elected there shall not be a primary election and the names of the candidates shall be placed on the ballots in the general election.

(d) On the ballots in general city elections, blank lines for the names of write-in candidates shall be printed at the end of the list of candidates for each different office. The number of blank lines for each elected office shall be equal to the number of candidates to be elected thereto. The purpose of such blank lines shall be to permit the voter to insert the name of any person not printed on the ballot for whom such voter desires to vote for such office. No lines for write-in candidates shall appear on primary city election ballots.