a. Following the adoption of the question of consolidation in each of the participating municipalities, the nomination and election of officers for the consolidated municipality shall be conducted in accordance with the plan or form of government adopted for the consolidated municipality, and the participating municipalities shall be deemed consolidated on the date on which such officers shall be authorized to take office under such plan or form of government; provided, however, that, if the commission shall have recommended submission to the Legislature of a special charter, the provision for the election of new officers and the date of consolidation shall be at such time following the approval of such special charter by the Legislature as shall be set forth in such charter.

b. Ward boundaries for the consolidated municipality, if any shall be required by the charter or form of government adopted, shall be fixed and determined pursuant to the “Municipal Ward Law” (P.L.1981, c. 496; C. 40:44-9 et seq.)

c. Within 45 days after the adoption of the question of consolidation, the county board of elections shall establish the election district boundaries for the consolidated municipality in the manner prescribed in Article 2 of chapter 4 of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes.

d. For the purpose of conducting the nomination and election of officers for the consolidated municipality as provided in subsection a. of this section, the municipal clerks of the participating municipalities shall organize themselves as a committee. Such committee shall, as prescribed by law for the plan or form of government adopted for the consolidated municipality: furnish forms for, and receive, petitions of nomination for such officers; conduct the certification of such petitions; prepare, cause to be printed, and authenticate the ballot for the election of such officers; cause any notices for such election to be published; and receive and canvass the returns of such election.

L.1977, c. 435, s. 29, eff. March 1, 1978. Amended by L.1981, c. 496, s. 16, eff. Jan. 12, 1982.