1. Each candidate for the office of hospital trustee shall file with the county clerk an announcement of candidacy in writing. The announcement shall indicate whether the individual is a candidate for a full or an unexpired term of a named predecessor. No filing fee shall be required to be paid upon the filing of any announcement. If the number of candidates is no greater than the number of trustees to be elected, no election shall be held, and the candidates shall assume the responsibilities of their offices at the same time and in the same manner as if they had been elected. If announcements of a sufficient number of trustees are not filed, the county commission shall appoint such trustee or trustees as may be necessary to fill all vacancies on the board which result from the expiration of the term of any trustee or trustees, and any appointee shall serve until the next general election when a trustee shall be elected to fill the remainder of the unexpired term.

2. The ballots shall not contain any designation of the political party affiliation of any candidate for trustees to be elected and shall state whether any of the trustees are^* to be elected for an unexpired term:

3. The candidates whose names have been placed on the ballot by the county commission pursuant to sections 205.170 and this section and who receive the highest number of votes for the offices of trustee to be filled shall be declared elected by the county commission which shall issue commissions to the elected trustees.