(1) Any registered voter desiring to vote in a primary election held under the Election Act shall be entitled to participate in such primary election upon presenting himself or herself at the polling place for his or her residence. A registered voter who is affiliated with a political party shall receive from the receiving board all nonpartisan ballots and the partisan ballot of the political party indicated on his or her voter registration. Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a registered voter who is not affiliated with any political party shall receive only nonpartisan ballots at a primary election.

(2) Any political party may allow registered voters who are not affiliated with a political party to vote in the primary election for any elective office for which the party has candidates except for the office of delegate to the party's county, state, or national convention. Any political party desiring to permit such registered voters to vote for candidates of that party in the primary election shall file a letter stating that the governing body of the political party has adopted a rule allowing registered voters who are not affiliated with a political party to vote in the primary election for candidates of that party. The letter and copy of the adopted rule shall be filed with the Secretary of State at least sixty days before the primary election. The Secretary of State shall notify the appropriate election commissioners and county clerks in writing that the political party filing the letter will allow registered voters who are not affiliated with a political party to vote in the primary election for candidates of that party. Once filed, the rule allowing such voters to vote in such primary election shall be irrevocable and shall apply only to the primary election immediately following the adoption of the rule.

(3) A registered voter who is not affiliated with a political party and who desires to vote in the primary election for the office of United States Senator or United States Representative may request a partisan ballot for either or both of such offices from any political party. The election commissioner or county clerk shall post a notice in a conspicuous location, easily visible and readable by voters prior to approaching the receiving board, that a registered voter who is not affiliated with a political party may request such ballots. No such registered voter shall receive more than one such partisan ballot.

(4) The registered voters residing in a political subdivision may cast their ballots for candidates for the offices in that subdivision and for issues proposed for that subdivision, except that when officers are to be nominated or elected from a subdistrict of the political subdivision, the registered voters residing in the subdistrict may only vote for candidates from the subdistrict and for candidates for officers to be elected at large from the whole political subdivision.