(a) (1) (A) Upon presentation of the petition to the county court by the authorized persons, the court shall at once order and call a special election, to be held in accordance with § 7-11-201 et seq., in both of the municipal corporations on the question of the annexation and the name of the proposed consolidated municipality.

(B) The court shall give thirty (30) days' notice of the election by publication one (1) time a week in some newspaper with a bona fide circulation in the territory and by notices posted in conspicuous places in the territory.

(2) The court shall appoint one (1) judge and one (1) clerk in each ward or other division of each municipal corporation, and the mayor and city council of each of the municipal corporations shall select two (2) judges and one (1) clerk for each of the wards or other divisions having the qualifications of electors, to act as judges and clerks of election within the respective wards.

(3) The court shall fix all polling places at which the voting shall take place.

(b)

(1) The election shall be held and conducted in each corporation in the manner prescribed by law for holding elections for cities or incorporated towns, so far as they are applicable. Election expenses are to be paid by the larger city or incorporated town.

(2)

(A) All elections held under this subchapter are made legal elections.

(B)

(i) The elections shall be governed by and subject to all the laws relating to general elections so far as applicable.

(ii) All judges, clerks, and persons voting in the elections shall be subject to the penalties prescribed by the general election laws of the state for any violation of the general election laws to the same extent as though the elections were specifically included in the general election laws of the state.

(3) The returns of the elections shall be made to the court and the result thereof declared by the court.

(c) In order to provide for an orderly transition of affairs if the petition calls for a delay in the implementation of the consolidation, the consolidation shall not take effect until the date specified in the petition, except that the consolidation shall be delayed not longer than eighteen (18) months from the date the election results are declared by the court.