The protests and contests in the case of county officers and less than county officers shall be filed in writing with the chairman of the county party executive committee, together with a copy for each candidate in the race not later than noon Monday following the day of the declaration by the county committee of the result of the election. Service may be perfected by depositing with the county sheriff a copy of the protest for the chairman together with a sufficient number of copies to be served upon all candidates in the protested or contested race. The sheriff must take immediate steps to deliver these copies to the chairman. The protest must contain each ground for the protest stated separately and concisely. The chairman must forthwith serve upon each candidate in the protested race a copy of the protest, and serve a notice of the time and place of the meeting of the executive committee for the purpose of hearing the protest.