(1) Upon entry of a new voter registration, the statewide voter registration database must assign a registration identification number to the registration.
(2) If the applicant provided a Washington driver's license number, state identification card number or valid tribal identification card, the applicant's identity is verified with the department of licensing. If the applicant provided the last four digits of their Social Security number, the applicant's identity is verified with the Social Security Administration through the department of licensing.
(3) If the applicant's identity is not verified or cannot be verified in the automated verification process, the county auditor must confirm the accuracy of the information entered from the voter registration application. The county auditor must correct any errors and again attempt to verify the applicant's identity automatically.
(4) If the applicant provided a Washington driver's license number, state identification number, or valid tribal identification number and the identity is not verified in the automated verification process, the county auditor may check department of licensing records to verify the applicant's identity. If the county auditor has the voter's Washington driver's license number, state identification number, or valid tribal identification card number, information on the application may be considered a "match" if it is clear to the county auditor that the information on the application describes the person on the department of licensing record. Reasons that the county auditor may conclude that the information on the application describes the person on the department of licensing record include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) The first, middle, or last name on the application is a variation of the first, middle, or last name in the department of licensing record;
(b) The first, middle, or last name has transposed letters or another typographical error on the application or in the department of licensing record;
(c) The first and last names are transposed on the application or in the department of licensing record;
(d) The first and middle names are transposed on the application or in the department of licensing record;
(e) The applicant has a compound or hyphenated name which is not accurately or completely set forth on the application or in the department of licensing record;
(f) The first or middle name is abbreviated with initials on the application or in the department of licensing record;
(g) The last name on the application and the last name in the department of licensing record are not the same but, based on other information, the county auditor concludes that one of the names is a maiden name or a former name of the same person; or
(h) The month and day of the applicant's date of birth are transposed on the application or in the department of licensing record.
If the county auditor concludes that the information on the application describes the person on the department of licensing record, the county auditor must override the failure to verify through the automated verification process and must note the reason it is considered a match. The county auditor must place the applicant on the official list of registered voters in active status.
(i) If the applicant's identity is not verified in the automated verification process and the voter's identification could not be confirmed through the department of licensing, the applicant must be provisionally registered pursuant to RCW
29A.08.107. The registration record must be flagged as still requiring verification of the applicant's identity before the applicant's ballot may be counted.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
29A.04.611. WSR 20-13-043, § 434-324-040, filed 6/10/20, effective 7/11/20; WSR 09-18-098, § 434-324-040, filed 9/1/09, effective 10/2/09; WSR 07-24-044, § 434-324-040, filed 11/30/07, effective 12/31/07; WSR 07-02-100, § 434-324-040, filed 1/3/07, effective 2/3/07; WSR 06-14-050, § 434-324-040, filed 6/28/06, effective 7/29/06; WSR 05-24-039, § 434-324-040, filed 11/30/05, effective 12/31/05.]