The county official verifying the number of registered electors signing the petition shall forward it to the secretary of state by certified mail with a certificate in substantially the following form attached:
To the Honorable ____________, Secretary of State of the state of Montana:
I, ____________, ___________ (title) of the County of __________, certify that I have examined the attached sheets of the petition for (statutory referendum, statutory initiative, constitutional convention initiative, or constitutional initiative) No. ____ in the manner prescribed by law; and I believe that ____ (number) signatures in (Legislative Representative District No. ____ or the County of ____) (repeat for each district or county included in sheet or section) are valid; and I further certify that the affidavit of the signature gatherer of the petition is attached.
Signed:______________ (Date) _______________ (Signature)
Seal _________________________ (Title)