(a) In the event that there are more election contests brought under this section than the circuit court judge can dispose of prior to ten (10) days before any election to be held, either of the parties to the contest may so report to the circuit judge in vacation or otherwise, who shall have full and complete authority to appoint an attorney with the qualifications of circuit judge to hear any contest and render a final judgment in such contest.
(b) The circuit judge shall appoint as special judge any attorney named by a committee of three (3) qualified electors of the county in which the contest is pending, one (1) to be named by the contestant, one (1) to be named by the contestee, and the third to be named by those two (2) committee members. In the event that the first two (2) committee members do not agree within five (5) days on the third member, then the third member shall be chosen by lot from the respective choices of the two committee members.
(c) All proceedings shall be conducted as in the case of any regular judge trying any such case, including the right of appeal. The judge so appointed shall have full power and authority in the trial of election contests in all respects as are now conferred by the Arkansas Constitution upon circuit judges in this state. The judgment rendered by the attorney so appointed shall be binding with full force and effect as if the regular circuit judge had heard the cause.
(d) In the appointment of the attorney, the circuit judge shall not be confined in the selection of the attorney to the judicial circuit in which the contest is pending. However, the hearing of the contest shall be had in the county in which the contest has been filed.