A person entitled to vote by absentee ballot who is an absent uniformed services voter, an absent voter temporarily residing outside the United States, or a voter domiciled outside the United States who is qualified to vote for federal offices only, who certifies that he or she will be unable to receive, mark, and return an absentee ballot sent no later than 45 days before an election by election day may apply for a write-in absentee ballot. The secretary of state shall prepare write-in absentee ballots of all types necessary for each election and make them available to town and city clerks. Clerks shall send a write-in absentee ballot to any qualified UOCAVA voter requesting such ballot without delay for any request received up to 45 days before an election. The ballot and associated forms and instructions shall be sent by mail or electronically as requested by the voter. In completing the ballot, the voter may designate a candidate by writing in the name of the candidate or by writing in the name of a political party next to the title of the office, in which case the ballot shall be counted for that office for the candidate of the political party.