Washington
Vote-By-Mail State
Washington is a vote-by-mail state. This means that all counties across the state conduct elections by mail. Your ballot will be mailed to you before the election.
The ballot packet you will receive includes a ballot, a secrecy envelope, and a return envelope. When you receive your ballot, complete the form, sign your name, and place it in the secrecy envelope. Be sure to sign the ballot declaration. If you fail to sign it, or the signature on the ballot declaration does not match the signature on your voter registration record, you will be contacted by the county elections department.
Your ballot must be mailed from a post office and postmarked by 5 p.m. on Election Day (no stamp required), or dropped at a ballot drop box by 8 p.m.
Am I eligible to vote in Washington?
In order to register and vote in Washington, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age on Election Day, and registered to vote. You must have been a resident of the state for a minimum of 30 days prior to the election.
In 2019, Washington began its Future Voter program, allowing 16- and 17-year-old citizens to pre-register to vote. On their 18th birthday, they are automatically registered to vote.
In Washington State you cannot register and vote if:
You have been disqualified from voting due to a court order of incompetency. A person under guardianship may still be able to vote if the guardianship papers affirm that right. When in doubt, you should receive a provisional ballot.
You are under Washington Department of Corrections supervision for a felony conviction. You do not need to have paid all of your fines in full before registering to vote, but if you fail to pay court-ordered fines and restitution, your voting rights may be revoked.
More information on Washington voter registration
You are not automatically registered to vote simply by completing a voter registration application. The information you provided on your application must still be verified by your county election officials. You will be contacted when your voter registration application is approved, or if more information is needed.
You can check the status of your voter registration.
Some people find it harder to register to vote than others. Here's what you need to know:
For homeless or impermanent voters: When you register to vote, you will need to provide a physical address — a location where you spend most of your time — as well as a mailing address. Your physical address determines which precinct you will vote in. It can be a park, a shelter, or even a cross-section where you park a car. You can use a P.O. Box or a family member or friend's address, a homeless shelter, or day center as your mailing address
For survivors of violence: Washington State participates in the Address Confidentiality Program, which offers address confidentiality by providing a legal substitute address, mail forwarding, and confidential voter registration. This is available for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, or stalking. Learn more by watching the ACP videos created by the Secretary of State's office.
For military and overseas voters: The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) ensures military members, their families, and other citizens living overseas can register and vote by absentee ballot. You can complete an application through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP).
For formerly incarcerated voters: Your voting rights are automatically restored after you are released from custody and are no longer under the authority of DOC (in prison or on community custody). You must re-register to vote. You do not need to provide a certificate of discharge (COD) in order to register or vote.
When is Washington's voter registration deadline?
Online/By Mail: October 28, 2024
In-person: November 5, 2024
How do I request an absentee ballot in Washington?
Every registered voter in Washington is mailed a ballot at least 18 days before an election. If you need your ballot mailed to an address other than your home address, you will need to request an absentee ballot. Use this online form to request an absentee ballot.
If you don't receive your ballot by 10 days before Election Day, contact your county elections office. You can track your absentee ballot here.
What do I need to bring to the polls in Washington?
Washington is a vote-by-mail state; as such, identification is generally not required of voters. If you are registering to vote in person, or voting at a Vote Center, you will need a photo ID. The following are acceptable forms of ID:
Driver's license
State ID
Student ID
Tribal ID (not required to include a residential address or an expiration date)
Employer ID
If you don't have an ID but want to vote in person, you will receive a provisional ballot. As long as the signature on your ballot matches that on your voter registration, your ballot will be counted.
What special accommodations are available?
Mail-in voting makes voting more accessible to many voters. For those who want to vote in person, Washington State provides accessible voting units (AVUs) at every voting center. These wheelchair-accessible units are available 18 days before the election. They close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. The ballot is shown on a monitor and you can select your choices via touch screen, select wheel, or other tool (such as a sip-and-puff tool).
If you cannot cast your ballot due to a disability, someone can cast it for you following your directions. You can also ask two election officials to cast your vote.
If you have questions about the accessibility of your precinct vote center, contact your county elections department or the Office of the Secretary of State's Elections Division at 800-448-4881.
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November 5, 2024 - General Election
