Exercise Your Right To Vote
To register to vote in Washington, you must be a U.S. citizen, a Washington resident and at least 18 years old. For more information on voter eligibility please visit the Washington State Voter Eligibility guide.
Online registration requires a current Washington driver's license or state ID card.
Elections in Washington
Washington State votes by mail. Vote by mail is convenient and gives you extra time to learn about the ballot measures and candidates before casting your vote. All counties conduct elections vote-by-mail. All vote-by-mail ballots (also known as absentee) are kept in secure storage while not being processed. Processing includes the verification of signatures and postmarks, removing the inner envelope from the outer envelope and removing the ballot from the inner envelope. Ballots are typically secured with numbered seals and a log is kept of the seal numbers to detect any inappropriate access.
Your ballot is mailed to you at least 18 days before each election. Your ballot packet will include a ballot, a secrecy envelope, and a return envelope. Follow the instructions that accompany your ballot. If you are a registered voter and do not receive your ballot, contact your county elections department.
If you would like to register to vote in another state, you can find information on the Rock the Vote site.
Registering to Vote
Voter registration can happen online, by mail or in person. To register to vote, a person must be a resident of Washington, have a Washington Driver License, Permit, or Id or be able to use the last four digits of your Social Security number, and be able to answer the following questions on the voter registration card:
- A citizen of the United States
- I am at least sixteen years old and will not vote in a special or general election
until I turn eighteen.
- If you are 16 or 17, you can sign up as a Future Voter and be automatically registered to vote when you qualify
Effective January 1st, 2022, if you were convicted of a felony in Washington State, another state, or in federal court, your right to vote will be restored automatically as long as you are not currently serving a sentence of total confinement in prison.
To find forms online you can visit the Washington State Voters webpage, or if you are ready to register online you can visit Washington State's MyVote webpage.
In King County any registered voter who has not received their ballot for the election
may actually print their own ballot and mail it in. The information is available here:
Replacing a Ballot or Envelope.
King County is the only county in Washington State to offer such a convenience! Don't
miss your opportunity to vote!
Submitting your Ballot
Washington votes by mail every election. If you are registered to vote in Washington, there is no need to request a ballot.
Voting by mail is convenient and gives you time to learn about the ballot measures and candidates before casting your vote. Return your ballot by official drop box or by mail, no stamp needed. Your ballot must be deposited or postmarked by Election Day. If mailed, the USPS recommends that you mail a week before Election Day. If you are not sure where the nearest Drop Box is located, you can find the most up to date information at this page on the Secretary of State's webpage.