Whenever a metropolitan utilities district is extended to include sanitary and improvement districts, unincorporated area, towns, villages, or territory lying outside the corporate limits of cities of the metropolitan class or so extended as to include sanitary and improvement districts, unincorporated area, towns, or villages in an adjoining county or counties, then such sanitary and improvement districts, unincorporated area, towns, or villages shall have a right to participate in the nomination and in the election of members of the board of directors of the metropolitan utilities district. The election commissioner or county clerk of each of the counties in which ballots are cast pursuant to this section shall transmit, by mail or otherwise, to the Secretary of State, a copy of the abstract of the votes cast for members of the board of directors. The Secretary of State shall in due course deliver to the candidate receiving the highest number of votes a certificate of election as a member of the board of directors. All filings for such office shall be made with the Secretary of State.