All persons holding civil offices under the laws of this state, except judges, notaries public, and the officers that the Constitution of the State of Indiana expressly requires personally to perform the duties of their respective offices, who enter the volunteer or militia forces called into service under the authority of the United States, or of this state, may appoint deputies who, during a service related absence of their principals, may perform all the duties appertaining by law to the office.
IC 5-6-2-1