(a) Residents of two or more municipalities may file a merger or consolidation petition with the department. The petition must be signed by a number of voters of each existing municipality equal to at least 25 percent of the number of votes cast in each municipality's last regular election.
(b) The petition includes
(1) the name and class of each existing municipality;
(2) the name and class of the proposed municipality;
(3) the proposed composition and apportionment of the governing body;
(4) maps, documents, and other information that shows that the proposed municipality meets the standards for municipal incorporation;
(5) for a home rule municipality, a proposed home rule charter.