(a) The terms of office of all associate district judges holding office on January 11, 1987, shall expire on that date and, on and after January 12, 1987, all associate district judge positions shall be abolished.

(b) On and after January 12, 1987, there is hereby created, in each judicial district, new district judge positions equal in number to the associate district judge positions abolished in the district pursuant to subsection (a).

(c) In a judicial district which elects judges of the district court:

(1) When an associate district judge of the district is elected or appointed for a term which, if not for the provisions of subsection (a), would expire on January 8, 1989, the judge shall be elected or appointed to serve through January 11, 1987, as associate district judge of the district and on and after January 12, 1987, through January 8, 1989, as district judge in one of the new positions to be created in the district by this section.

(2) The remaining new district judge positions to be created in the district by this section shall be filled by nomination and election at the state primary and general elections in 1986 in the same manner as the nomination and election of a district judge to an existing position in the district.

(d) In a judicial district which selects judges of the district court by nonpartisan selection:

(1) When an associate district judge of the district stands for retention or is appointed for a term which, if not for the provisions of subsection (a), would expire on January 8, 1989, the judge shall be retained or appointed to serve through January 11, 1987, as associate district judge of the district and on and after January 12, 1987, through January 8, 1989, as district judge in one of the new positions to be created in the district by this section.

(2) Each remaining associate district judge of the district whose term will expire January 11, 1987, shall be eligible to stand for retention at the state general election in 1986 as district judge in one of the new positions to be created in the district by this section in the same manner as an incumbent district judge in an existing position of the judicial district. If any such associate district judge does not file a declaration of candidacy for retention in office as district judge in a new position to be created by this section, the new position shall be filled in the manner provided for filling a vacancy in an existing district judge position in the judicial district.

(e) If it is provided by law that an associate district judge position eliminated pursuant to this section shall be in a particular county and if a new division of the district court is created to replace that associate district judge position, any district judge of the new division of the district court shall be required to be a resident of the county in which the former associate district judge position was located.