(a) In each county containing forty thousand inhabitants, which has been created as a separate and independent judicial district as provided by the Constitution, upon acceptance of the provisions of this section, there shall be elected one person to fill the office of prothonotary, one person to fill the office of the clerk of the courts of common pleas, one person to fill the office of register of wills and clerk of the orphans' court, and one person to fill the office of recorder of deeds, at the expiration of the terms of the persons then filling and exercising such offices in such counties.

(b) In any such county in which the offices provided for in this section are now held as above provided, the offices shall continue to be so held, and persons shall continue to be elected to fill the same without any actual acceptance of this section.

(c) The acceptance of the provisions of this section shall be exercised by a decree of the court of common pleas of the county accepting the provisions thereof, upon petition of the county commissioners of such county. The petition and decree shall be recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds of the county, and in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.