With all due respect Doctor, we are waiting for your learned dissertation on rule 40b on ballot #2. ? Did you know this ? It doesn’t matter if it is ballot 1 or ballot 100, You can only vote for a candidate that can be legally nominated— i.e. one with 8 state majority delegates. ONLY!! Sorry.
Is there anything in the rules that states that the nominations are closed before the first ballot? Could not a majority of delegates in eight states support the nomination of someone else on a subsequent ballot?