Before any such bonds shall be issued the question of issuing them shall be first submitted to the qualified voters of the electric light, water supply, fire protection and sewerage district at an election to determine whether such bonds shall be issued or not, to be held upon the written petition or request of at least one third of the resident electors or a like proportion of the freeholders of the age of twenty-one years or over. Upon the receipt of such petition, the board of commissioners of the electric light, water supply, fire protection or sewerage district, as the case may be, shall order an election to be held at such place in the district as may be designated by the board of commissioners on the question as to whether such bonds shall be issued or not. In such election only qualified voters residing in such district shall be allowed to vote. The board of commissioners shall give notice of such election for at least ten days in a newspaper published in the county or by posting such notice in three public places in the district. It shall designate the time and place and appoint the managers of the election and receive the returns of the managers and declare the result. The ballots cast must have written or printed on them "for bonds" or "against bonds."