Section  18.  The  legislature  may,  on  application  of  the  board
of  supervisors,  provide  for  the  election  of  local  officers,  not  to
exceed  two  in  any  county,  to  discharge  the  duties  of  county  judge
and  of  surrogate,  in  cases  of  their  inability  or  of  a  vacancy,  and
in  such  other  cases  as  may  be  provided  by  law,  and  to  exercise  such
other  powers  in  special  cases  as  are  or  may  be  provided  by  law.
