(a) If at least 20 percent of the employees of an eligible department under this subchapter sign a petition requesting an election under this section and present the petition to the county judge of the employing county, the judge shall order a departmental election on the question of the creation of a sheriff’s department civil service system.
(b) The county judge shall hold the election after the 15th day but on or before the 45th day after the date the petition is submitted. The election must be by secret ballot and each employee is entitled to vote at the election.

(c) The ballots for the election shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the proposition: “Creation of a sheriff’s department civil service system.”
(d) The county judge shall canvass the votes and declare the result.