1. (A) Upon the filing of a petition, it is the duty of the commissioners of election of a county to:

   1. (1) forward a copy of the petition to the governing body of the district;
   2. (2) ascertain the number of qualified electors residing in the district; and
   3. (3) ascertain that each person named on the petition is a qualified elector shown on voter registration books maintained by the commissioners of election as residing at an address located within the district.

2. (B) The commissioners of election shall within thirty days of the receipt of a petition deliver to the governing body of the district a certificate showing the number of qualified electors within the district and the number of qualified electors residing in the district that have signed the petition. Signatures on the petition are valid only if:

   1. (1) dated not more than one hundred eighty days prior to the delivery of the petition to the commissioners of election, and

   2. (2) they are of persons ascertained to be a qualified elector residing in the district as shown on the voter registration books.

      Signatures on the petition accompanied by illegible names and addresses are void and must be disregarded in determination of the number of qualified electors residing in the district that have signed the petition.

HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 397, Section 3.