(a) The county board of election commissioners shall appoint election clerks to process, count, and canvass the absentee voters' ballots in all elections.
(b)
(1) The election clerks who are to canvass the absentee ballots shall be appointed in the same manner and at the same time the poll workers are selected to serve at the regular voting precincts.
(2) The election clerks shall possess the same qualifications as the poll workers who serve at the regular voting precincts.
(c) The processing, counting, and canvassing of the absentee ballots shall be under the supervision and at the direction of the county board of election commissioners.