(a) General rule.--Notwithstanding the provisions of Part IV (relating to voter registration) or the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, the following persons may make application for an absentee ballot by sending a letter or other signed document to the county board of elections in the county in which the person's voting address is located:

(1) A registered elector who is unable to attend the polling place on the day of any primary or election because of illness or physical disability.

(2) A registered elector who expects to be absent from this Commonwealth or the municipality of residence because duties, occupation or business require the elector to be elsewhere the day of any primary or election.

(3) A county employee who cannot vote due to duties relating to the conduct of elections.

(4) A person who will not attend a polling place because of an observance of a religious holiday.

(b) Contents of letter or document.--The letter or document under subsection (a) shall provide the same information as is provided on forms prescribed by the secretary.

(c) Review and processing.--The letter or document shall be subject to the same schedule as other applications for absentee ballots and upon receipt by the county board of elections shall be reviewed and processed in the same fashion as other applications for absentee ballots.

(d) Application prepared by political party.--An absentee ballot application form containing the same information as that contained on the form prescribed by the secretary, which was prepared or distributed by a political party and signed by a registered elector, shall be deemed for all purposes as valid and shall be reviewed and processed by the county board of elections in the same manner as applications on forms prescribed by the secretary and supplied by the county board of elections.

Special Provisions in Appendix. See section 6 of Act 3 of 2002 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to continuation of Pennsylvania Voter Registration Act.