Automatic voter registration with driver's license or ID card applications

(a) An application for voter registration shall be a part of the application for issuance of an identification card under section 286-303 and the application for issuance of a driver's license under section 286-111. Applications for an identification card or driver's license shall not be processed until the applicant completes the portion of the application related to voter registration and indicates the applicant's choice of whether to register to vote. If already registered to vote, the applicant shall be offered the opportunity to decline any changes being made to their name and address for voter registration purposes. The submission of the application for the issuance of an identification card under section 286-303 or the application for a driver's license under section 286-111 shall be deemed to authorize the examiner of drivers to collect and transmit the information necessary to register the applicant as a voter if the applicant made such a choice or to make changes to the applicant's voter registration information unless the applicant declined such changes. The examiner of drivers shall electronically transmit the necessary information to the clerk of the county in which the applicant resides, election officials, and the online voter registration system pursuant to subsection (c). The examiner of drivers shall not transmit any information necessary to register an applicant as a voter if the applicant made a choice not to be registered to vote nor transmit any information necessary to make changes to the applicant's voter registration information if the applicant declined such changes. The examiner of drivers shall not transmit any information related to a voter application or changes to the applicant's voter registration information if the applicant presents a document demonstrating a lack of United States citizenship. (b) Upon receipt of the completed voter registration application or changes to the applicant's voter registration information transmitted from the examiner of drivers, the clerk shall review and either approve or reject the voter registration application in accordance with this part; provided that approved voter registration applications received from the examiner of drivers pursuant to this section shall be treated as having a valid signature for purposes of section 11‑15(c), whether transmitted electronically or by facsimile transmission. Upon the clerk's approval of the voter registration application or any changes to the voter registration information, the clerk shall proceed to number the application and register the name of the voter in the general county register as provided in section 11‑14 or make approved changes to the voter's existing voter registration information as applicable. (c) Databases maintained or operated by the counties or the department of transportation containing driver's license or identification card information, including any documents or images, shall be accessible and provided electronically to election officials and the online voter registration system to allow for the timely processing of voter applications, ensure the integrity of the voter registration polls, and for any other voter registration or election purposes, as determined by the director of transportation.