(a) Whenever a referendum, as defined in subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection (n) of § 9-1, is to be held on any question or proposal, the question or proposal shall be submitted to the municipal clerk in the form in which it will appear on the ballot at least three weeks prior to the date on which the referendum is to be held, and the municipal clerk shall make absentee ballots available for use at the referendum in accordance with the provisions of this section, provided, if any other provision of the general statutes, a special act, a charter provision or an ordinance specifically authorizes a referendum to be held with less than three weeks’ notice, absentee ballots shall be made available for each such referendum within four business days after the question or questions which are to be voted on at the referendum are finalized. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes to the contrary, a municipal clerk may only provide an absentee ballot for such referendum held with less than three weeks’ notice to a person who applies in person at the office of the municipal clerk for an absentee ballot (1) for himself or (2) for a prospective applicant who designates such person for such purpose. The designee may be a licensed physician, registered or practical nurse or any other person who is caring for the applicant because of the applicant’s illness, a member of the applicant’s family or a police officer, registrar of voters or deputy registrar of voters in the municipality in which the applicant resides. The designee may also return the ballot in person to the municipal clerk not later than the close of the polls.

(b) At any such referendum, any person who would be eligible to vote on the question or proposal if he appeared in person and is unable to appear in person for one or more of the reasons set forth in § 9-135, may cast his vote by absentee ballot, in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(c) Upon receipt of the written form of the question or proposal to be voted on at any such referendum, the municipal clerk shall immediately prepare and print absentee ballots for the referendum. The phrasing of the question or proposal on the absentee ballots shall be identical to the phrasing on the ballot to be used for voting in person at the referendum. Prior to printing the ballots, the registrars of voters of the municipality may provide comments concerning the content and form of such ballots to the clerk.

(d) Upon notification by the municipal clerk that such a referendum will be held, the Secretary of the State shall furnish to such clerk the forms and materials described in § 9-139a in the amount requested by the clerk.

(e) Any person who is eligible to vote by absentee ballot as provided in this section may apply in person or by mail to the municipal clerk for an absentee ballot. Application shall be made on a form furnished by the Secretary of the State, as provided in subsection (d) of this section. Upon receipt of an application or upon the nineteenth day before the date of the referendum, whichever is later, the municipal clerk shall give to the applicant or mail, as the case may be, the absentee ballot and the envelopes furnished by the Secretary of the State. No absentee ballot shall be issued after the opening of the polls at the referendum, except as provided in § 9-150c.

(f) The procedures for issuing, returning, casting and counting absentee ballots, declaring the count and packaging the ballots at elections, shall apply, as nearly as may be, to absentee ballots at referenda.