Of the members of any election board, not including the supervising judge, not more than one-half of the clerks shall be of the same political party, and not more than one-half of the judges shall be of the same political party, except in the case of a three-member election board. In the case of a three-member election board, the members thereof, excluding the supervising judge, shall be of different political parties. The provisions of this section shall not apply if the officers of political organizations required to make recommendations for such appointees fail to so recommend, or if the persons so recommended fail or refuse to qualify or serve.