1. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or chapter 478, or any other provision of law in conflict with the provisions of this section, in any county which becomes a county of the second class after September 28, 1987, and wherein the offices of circuit clerk and recorder of deeds are combined, such combination shall continue until the governing body of the county authorizes the separation of the offices as provided in section 59.042.

2. Each county in which the circuit clerk ex officio recorder of deeds was appointed to office before August 28, 2003, shall place the office on the ballot at the general election in November, 2006, and the person elected at the general election shall be the circuit clerk ex officio recorder of deeds of the county until a successor is elected and qualified pursuant to section 483.015. The person in such office on August 28, 2003, shall continue to hold office until a successor is elected and qualified pursuant to this subsection unless sooner removed. In the event that the county separates the offices of circuit clerk and recorder of deeds before the general election in November, 2006, the person in office at the time of the separation shall continue to perform the duties of the offices until a successor is elected and qualified for each office pursuant to this section, section 59.020, and section 483.015, unless sooner removed.