The election authority shall transmit or cause to be delivered to the primary judges, and to the respective local election officials prior to the consolidated primary, specimen ballots of each political party, substantially in the form of the official primary ballots, to be used at such primary, which specimen ballot shall be printed upon paper of a different texture and color from the official primary ballot. In units of local government having fewer than 500,000 inhabitants the election authority shall have published in two or more newspapers published in the county, municipality or town, as the case may be, or if there is no such newspaper, then in any two or more newspapers published in the county and having general circulation throughout the community, at least 5 days prior to the general primary, a true copy of the specimen ballot, and the primary judges shall post one of each such specimen ballots at the polling place. In counties, municipalities or towns having 500,000 or more inhabitants the primary judges shall post not less than 5 of each such specimen ballots in the precinct, and one of each such specimen ballots at the polling place. For the consolidated primary, the local election official shall have the duty to make such publication with respect to the ballots for his unit of local government, and may make his publication as part of the announcement heretofore required.