Certificates of nomination for nominees for an office to be filled at a general or special election, except for an office appearing on the no-party ballot, may be made as provided by this section. Except for nominees for president of the United States, names of nominees so nominated must appear on the ballot as independent nominations. The names of nominees for president of the United States may appear on the ballot with a designation, not to exceed five words, that names the organization or political party to which the presidential candidate affiliates. The designation may not falsely indicate an affiliation with or the support of any political party organized in accordance with this title or include any substantive word or phrase that is profane or that is already included in or resembles the name of a political party entitled to a separate column under section 16.1-11-30. Except for candidates for the office of president of the United States, each certificate of nomination by petition must meet the specifications for nominating petitions set forth in section 16.1-11-16. A political party or organization desiring to submit to the secretary of state the name of a qualified candidate for the office of the president of the United States may begin gathering the signatures for the certificate of nomination on the first day of January of a presidential election year and shall submit the petition to the secretary of state before four p.m. on the sixty-fourth day before the general election. The signatures on the petition must be in the following number:
N.D.C.C. § 16.1-12-02