I. At any annual town meeting under an article in the warrant placed there by petition, the voters may, whether or not the terms of office for town clerk and tax collector for said town are coterminous, vote, by ballot, to determine if they are in favor of having the office of town clerk combined with the office of tax collector, thereby creating a new office of town clerk-tax collector to be held by one individual. If the town has adopted an official ballot for election of its officers the town clerk shall insert the question relative to this matter on said official ballot, or if the town does not have an official ballot the town clerk shall prepare a special ballot for the same purpose. If a majority of those persons voting on the question vote in favor of creating the combined office of town clerk-tax collector, at the next annual meeting, occurring after the vote of approval, the town shall choose by ballot one individual as town clerk-tax collector, and such individual shall serve for a term of one year, or a term of 3 years as the petition may set forth. The term of any individual then in office as town clerk or tax collector shall cease and the newly elected town clerk-tax collector shall take office.
II. At any annual town meeting held at least 2 years after the office of town clerk-tax collector has been created, under an article in the warrant, the voters may vote, by ballot, to determine if they are in favor of continuing the combined office. If a majority of those voting on the question do not vote in favor of continuing such combined office, at the next annual meeting, in which an election for town clerk-tax collector is to be held the voters shall choose one individual as town clerk and another individual as town tax collector.