(1) A sample of the official ballot shall be printed in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the county, city, or village as designated by the election commissioner, county clerk, city council, or village board. The sample shall be printed in English and in any other language required pursuant to the Voting Rights Language Assistance Act of 1992.

(2) Except for elections conducted in accordance with section 32-960, such publication shall be made not more than fifteen nor less than two days before the day of election, and the same shall appear in only one regular issue of each paper. For elections conducted in accordance with section 32-960, such publication shall be made not less than thirty days before the election.

(3) The form of the ballot so published shall conform in all respects to the form prescribed for official ballots as set forth in sections 32-806, 32-809, and 32-812, but larger or smaller type may be used. When paper ballots are not being used, a reduced-size facsimile of the official ballot shall be published as it appears on the voting system. Such publication shall include suitable instructions to the voters for casting their ballots using the voting system being used at the election.

(4) The rate charged by the newspapers and paid by the county board for the publication of such sample ballot shall not exceed the rate regularly charged for display advertising in such newspaper in which the publication is made.