The commissioner shall provide and retain at the commissioner’s office an ample supply of ballots, in addition to those distributed to the several voting precincts. If at any time the ballots furnished to any precinct shall be lost, destroyed, or if the chairperson of the precinct election officials determines that the supply of ballots will be exhausted before the polls are closed, the chairperson of the precinct election officials of the precinct shall immediately contact the commissioner by telephone. If no telephone is available, a messenger shall be sent to the commissioner with a written application for additional ballots. The application shall be signed by a majority of the precinct election officials. The commissioner shall keep written records of all requests for additional ballots and shall immediately cause to be delivered to the officials, at the polling place, such additional supply of ballots as may be required, and sufficient to comply with the provisions of this chapter.