If a statute:

(1) provides that a ballot question may or must be placed on the ballot when a specified number of individuals have signed a petition; and

(2) specifies the number of individuals required under the statute as a percentage of the individuals who voted in a previous election,

the statute must be construed to mean that the petition must be signed by a number of current voters equal to the required percentage specified in the statute. The statute must not be construed to restrict the eligibility to sign the petition to only those individuals who were eligible to cast ballots or who did cast ballots in the previous election.