(a)      Any qualified voter registered to vote in a municipality is entitled to vote in the municipal election by absentee ballot. All municipal corporations shall provide the procedure to vote by absentee ballot.

      (b)      The municipalities are generally authorized and empowered to do any and all acts providing for voting by persons who are absentee voters. They are severally authorized and empowered to use any of their facilities to transmit and receive applications for absentee ballots, envelopes, instructions and printed matter to enable absentee voters to vote.