(1) To obtain the printing of the name of an individual as a candidate for nomination by a political party for the office of county road commissioner under a particular party heading upon the official primary ballots, there must be filed with the county clerk of the county nominating petitions signed by a number of qualified and registered electors residing within the county as determined under section 544f. Nominating petitions must be in the form prescribed in section 544c. The county clerk shall receive nominating petitions up to 4 p.m. of the fifteenth Tuesday before the August primary in which county road commissioners are to be elected.

    (2) To obtain the printing of the name of a candidate of a political party under the particular party’s heading upon the primary election ballots in the various voting precincts of the county, there may be filed by each candidate, in lieu of filing nominating petitions, a nonrefundable filing fee of $100.00 to be paid to the county clerk. Payment of the fee and certification of the name of the candidate paying the fee are governed by the same provisions as in the case of nominating petitions. The fee must be deposited in the general fund of the county and must be used only for the purchase and maintenance of voting equipment.