(a) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State, in the presence of the Governor, within thirty (30) days after the time allowed to make returns of election by the county board of election commissioners, or sooner, if all the returns have been received, to cast up and arrange the votes from the several counties, or such of them as may have made returns, for each person voted for as United States Senator or United States Representative.
(b) The Governor shall immediately thereafter issue his or her proclamation declaring the person having the greatest number of legal votes to be duly elected to represent this state in the United States Senate or the United States House of Representatives and shall grant a certificate thereof, under the seal of the state, to the person so elected.
(c)
(1) Should any two (2) or more persons have an equal number of votes, and a higher number than any other person, the names of the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes for United States Senator or United States Representative shall be certified to a special runoff election which shall be held four (4) weeks from the day on which the general election is held.
(2) The special runoff election shall be conducted in the same manner as is provided by law, and the election results shall be canvassed and certified in the manner provided by law.