An intercounty rural library district shall be established by joint action of two or more counties proceeding by either of the following alternative methods:

(1) The boards of county commissioners of any two or more counties shall adopt identical resolutions proposing the formation of such a district to include all of the areas outside of incorporated cities or towns in such counties as may be designated in such resolutions. In lieu of such resolutions a petition of like purport signed by ten percent of the registered voters residing outside of incorporated cities or towns of a county, may be filed with the county auditor thereof, and shall have the same effect as a resolution. The proposition for the formation of the district as stated on the petition shall be prepared by the attorney general upon request of the state library commission. Action to initiate the formation of such a district shall become ineffective in any county if corresponding action is not completed within one year thereafter by each other county included in such proposal. The county auditor in each county shall check the validity of the signatures on the petition and shall certify to the board of county commissioners the sufficiency of the signatures. If each petition contains the signatures of ten percent of the registered voters residing outside the incorporated cities and towns of the county, each board of county commissioners shall pass a resolution calling an election for the purpose of submitting the question to the voters and setting the date of said election. When such action has been taken in each of the counties involved, notification shall be made by each board of county commissioners to the board of county commissioners of the county having the largest population according to the last federal census, who shall give proper notification to each county auditor. At the next general or special election held in the respective counties there shall be submitted to the voters in the areas outside of incorporated cities and towns a question as to whether an intercounty rural library district shall be established as outlined in the resolutions or petitions. Notice of said election shall be given by the county auditor. The county auditor shall instruct the election boards in split precincts. The respective county canvassing boards in each county to be included within the intercounty rural library district shall canvass the votes and certify the results to the county auditor pursuant to chapter 29A.60 RCW; the result shall then be certified by each county auditor to the county auditor of the county having the largest population according to the last federal census. If a majority of the electors voting on the proposition in each of the counties affected shall vote in favor of such district it shall thereby become established, and the board of county commissioners of the county having the largest population according to the last federal census shall declare the intercounty rural library district established. If two or more of the counties affected are in an existing intercounty rural library district, then the electors in areas outside incorporated cities and towns in those counties shall vote as a unit and the electors in areas outside incorporated cities and towns in each of the other affected counties shall vote as separate units. If a majority of the electors voting on the proposition in the existing district and a majority of the voters in any of the other affected counties shall vote in favor of an expanded intercounty rural library district it shall thereby become established.

(2) The county commissioners of two or more counties meeting in joint session attended by a majority of the county commissioners of each county may, by majority vote of those present, order the establishment of an intercounty rural library district to include all of the area outside of incorporated cities and towns in as many of the counties represented at such joint meeting as shall be determined by resolution of such joint meeting. If two or more counties are in an existing intercounty rural library district, then a majority vote of all of the commissioners present from those counties voting as a unit, and a majority vote of the commissioners present from any other county shall cause the joint session to order the establishment of an expanded intercounty rural library district. No county, however, shall be included in such district if a majority of its county commissioners vote against its inclusion in such district.