SAVANNA – Members of Farmers Mutual Electric Co. Tuesday approved a merger with fellow electric cooperative Jo-Carroll Energy, Jo Carroll said in a news release Thursday.

The merger will help both co-ops by sharing employee talent and equipment, improving efficiency, spreading the costs of current and imminent regulations, sharing investment in smart-grid technology, increasing power supply options and spreading fixed costs over a larger membership, the release said.

Of the 348 votes, 302, or 87 percent, were in favor of the merger, which needed a two-thirds majority to pass, the release said.