In every county in which there are or may be 2 or more judges of the county court, all appointments to such judgeships shall be made in such manner that the appointees shall be, as nearly as possible, in equal numbers, members of different political parties, so as to constitute the county court in any such county bipartisan in character.
The words "political parties" mean such political parties as shall have cast the largest and the next to the largest number of votes, respectively, for members of the general assembly at the last preceding general election held for the election of all the members of the general assembly, prior to the making of any such appointments.