A general nonpartisan primary election shall be held in every county of this state on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in August preceding every general November election at which judges of probate are to be elected, at which time the qualified and registered electors may vote for nonpartisan candidates for the office of judge of probate. If upon the expiration of the time for filing petitions or incumbency affidavits of candidacy for the primary election of said probate judges in any county it shall appear that there are not to exceed twice the number of candidates as there are persons to be elected, then the county clerk shall certify to the county board of election commissioners the name of such candidate for probate judge whose petitions have been properly filed and such candidate shall be the nominee for the judge of probate and shall be so certified. As to such office, there shall be no primary election and this office shall be omitted from the judicial primary ballot.