(a) The authority responsible for canvassing the precinct returns for the elections of one of the political subdivisions participating in a joint election may be designated to canvass the returns for one or more of the other participating political subdivisions.
(b) If elections are jointly canvassed, the presiding officer of the joint canvassing authority shall deliver the appropriate part of the tabulation of the precinct results to each of the presiding officers of the canvassing authorities designated by law for the elections of the participating political subdivisions. Each tabulation shall then be processed in the same manner as for an election not canvassed jointly.