(a) At least fifty days prior to a primary, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall transmit to the county board of elections a list of candidates who have filed a nominating petition with him and who are not known to have withdrawn or been disqualified, conforming, to the extent possible, with the requirements of section 916.¹

(b) At least seventy days prior to an election, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall transmit to the county board of elections a list, as he knows it to exist at that time, of candidates to be voted on in the county at the election, as well as a copy of all constitutional amendments and other questions to be voted on at such election, together with a statement of the form in which they are to be placed on the ballot, conforming to the extent possible with the requirements of section 984.²