(1) The Secretary of State shall prescribe and distribute a registration application which may be used statewide to register to vote and update voter registration records. An applicant may use the application to register to vote or to update his or her voter registration record with changes in his or her personal information or other information related to his or her eligibility to vote. An applicant may submit the application in person, through a personal messenger or personal agent, or by mail. Every election commissioner or county clerk shall accept such an application for registration. If an applicant who is eligible to register to vote submits the application in person at the office of the election commissioner or county clerk, the information from the application shall be entered into the voter registration register in the presence of the applicant if possible.

(2) The application shall contain substantially all the information provided in section 32-312 and the following informational statements:

(a) An applicant who is unable to sign his or her name may affix his or her mark next to his or her name written on the signature line by some other person;

(b) If the application is submitted by mail and the applicant is registering in the state for the first time and has not previously voted within the state, the applicant must submit with the application a copy of a photo identification which is current and valid or a copy of a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that is current and that shows the name and address of the applicant as they appear on the application in order to avoid additional identification requirements when voting for the first time;

(c) An applicant may deliver the application to the office of the election commissioner or county clerk in person, through a personal messenger or personal agent, or by mail;

(d) To vote at the polling place on election day, the completed application must be:

(i) Delivered by the applicant in person to the office of the election commissioner or county clerk on or before the deadline prescribed in section 32-302;

(ii) Delivered by the applicant's personal messenger or personal agent to the office of the election commissioner or county clerk on or before the third Friday before the election; or

(iii) Postmarked on or before the third Friday before the election if the application is submitted by mail; and

(e) The election commissioner or county clerk will, upon receipt of the application for registration, send an acknowledgment of registration to the applicant indicating whether the application is proper or not.