(1) To obtain the printing of the name of a person as a candidate for nomination for the office of judge of the district court upon the official nonpartisan primary ballots, there must be filed with the secretary of state nominating petitions containing the signatures, addresses, and dates of signing of a number of qualified and registered electors residing in the judicial district or division as determined under section 544f. An incumbent district court judge may also become a candidate by the filing of an affidavit in lieu of petitions according to section 467c. The secretary of state shall receive nominating petitions up to 4 p.m. on the fifteenth Tuesday before the primary. The provisions of sections 544a and 544b apply.

    (2) Nominating petitions filed under this section are valid only if they clearly indicate for which of the following offices the candidate is filing, consistent with section 467c(4):

    (a) An unspecified existing judgeship for which the incumbent judge is seeking election.

    (b) An unspecified existing judgeship for which the incumbent judge is not seeking election.

    (c) A new judgeship.

    (3) A person who files nominating petitions for election to more than 1 district judgeship has not more than 3 days following the close of filing to withdraw from all but 1 filing.

    (4) In a primary and general election for 2 or more judgeships where more than 1 of the categories in subsection (2) could be selected, a candidate shall apply to the bureau of elections for a written statement of office designation to correspond to the judgeship sought by the candidate. The office designation provided by the secretary of state must be included in the heading of all nominating petitions. Nominating petitions containing an improper office designation are invalid.

    (5) The secretary of state shall issue an office designation of incumbent position for any judgeship for which the incumbent judge is eligible to seek reelection. If an incumbent judge does not file an affidavit of candidacy by the deadline, the secretary of state shall notify all candidates for that office that a nonincumbent position exists. All nominating petitions circulated for the nonincumbent position after the deadline must bear an office designation of nonincumbent position. All signatures collected before the affidavit of candidacy filing deadline may be filed with the nonincumbent nominating petitions.

    (6) If a candidate for nomination for the office of judge of the district court receives incorrect or inaccurate written information from the secretary of state or the bureau of elections concerning the number of nominating petition signatures required under section 544f and that incorrect or inaccurate written information is published or distributed by the secretary of state or the bureau of elections, the candidate may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction for equitable relief. A court may grant equitable relief to a candidate under this subsection if all of the following occur:

    (a) The candidate brings the action for equitable relief within 6 days after the candidate is notified by the secretary of state or the bureau of elections that the candidate's nominating petition contains insufficient signatures.

    (b) The candidate files an affidavit certifying that he or she contacted and received from the secretary of state or the bureau of elections incorrect or inaccurate written information concerning the number of nominating petition signatures required under section 544f.

    (c) The secretary of state or the bureau of elections published or distributed the incorrect or inaccurate written information concerning the number of nominating petition signatures required under section 544f before the filing deadline under subsection (1).

    (d) The secretary of state or bureau of elections did not inform the candidate at least 14 days before the filing deadline under subsection (1) that incorrect or inaccurate written information concerning the number of nominating petition signatures required under section 544f had been published or distributed.

    (7) If a court grants equitable relief to a candidate under subsection (6), the candidate must be given the opportunity to obtain additional nominating petition signatures to meet the requirements under section 544f. The additional nominating petition signatures obtained by a candidate must be filed with the secretary of state no later than 4 p.m. on the fifth business day after the date that the court order granting equitable relief is filed.

    (8) The nominating petition signatures filed under this section are subject to challenge as provided in section 552.