7-2-2207. Affidavits to be attached to petition -- verification of signatures. (1) There must be attached and filed with each sheet or section of the petition or petitions an affidavit of the person who circulated the petition, stating that it is the person's belief that:

(a) it is signed by at least 50% of the qualified electors, as provided in this part, of the proposed new county or of the proposed portion of a proposed county taken from each existing county, where the proposed new county is to be formed from portions of two or more existing counties;

(b) the signatures are genuine; and

(c) each person signing was, at the date of signing, a qualified elector of the proposed new county or of the portion of the proposed county taken from an existing county.

(2) The clerk of the county receiving the petition shall check the names of all signers to verify that they are registered electors of the proposed territory to be taken from the county. In addition, the county clerk shall randomly select signatures on each sheet or section of the petition and compare them with the signatures of the electors as they appear on the registration records of the office. If all of the randomly selected signatures appear to be genuine, the number of signatures of registered electors on the sheet or section may be certified without further comparison of signatures. If any of the randomly selected signatures do not appear to be genuine, all signatures on that sheet or section must be compared with the registration records of the office.