(1) Immediately upon receipt of the approval of the state board to the consolidation, the intermediate superintendent shall request the school district filing official to certify the number of registered general electors residing in each of the affected school districts. The number of registered general electors certified is the basis for determining the required number of signatures for calling an election on the question of consolidation.

    (2) The signature of a person registering after the date of certification by the school district filing official is a valid signature if the person is registered at the time of signing the petition. Additional registrations do not affect the number of registered general electors originally certified. Only a registered school elector is eligible to sign a petition and to vote on the question of consolidation.