Washington Voting Guide

Is Washington a vote-by-mail state?

Washington is a vote-by-mail state. This means that all registered voters receive a ballot in the mail before the election.

The ballot packet you 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 if the signature on the ballot declaration does not match the signature on your voter registration record, the county elections department will contact you.

You must mail your ballot from a post office and bear a postmark of the election date. You can also take your ballot to a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Am I eligible to vote in Washington?

To register and vote in Washington, you must be:

• A U.S. citizen
• At least 18 years old
• A state resident for at least 30 days before 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, election officials automatically register them to vote.

In Washington State, you cannot register and vote if:

• The state has disqualified you from voting due to mental 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’s Department of Corrections supervision for a felony conviction. The State will automatically restore your voting rights once you complete your sentence and re-register to vote.

You can check your voter registration status at the state’s voter portal.

How do I get my ballot in Washington?

Registered voters automatically receive their ballots in the mail. This fact sheet contains helpful tips and information for the upcoming election.

You can check your voter registration status at the state’s voter portal.

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 must provide a physical address and a mailing address. Your physical address determines which precinct you will vote in. It can be a park, a shelter, or a cross-section where you park a car. You can use a P.O. Box, a family member or friend’s address, a homeless shelter, or a 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 ACP videos from the Washington 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 overseas citizens can register and vote by absentee ballot. You can complete an application through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP).
• For formerly incarcerated voters: The state automatically restores your voting rights once you are out of jail or prison. You must re-register to vote. You do not need to provide a certificate of discharge (COD) to register or vote.

When is Washington’s voter registration deadline?

Eligible voters can register to vote on Election Day. If you do, bring proper identification with you.

The deadline to register online or by mail is eight days before the election. If you register by mail, be sure your voter registration form is postmarked by election day. You may also register in person at an election office or vote center. The deadline to do this is 8 p.m. on Election Day.

How do I Request an absentee ballot in Washington?

Every registered voter in Washington receives a ballot at least 18 days before an election, whether for a primary or a school board election. If you want election officials to send your ballot to an address other than your home address, you must request an absentee ballot. Use this online form to request an absentee ballot.

Contact your county elections office if you don’t receive your ballot at least ten days before Election Day. 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. You won’t need to present your ID if you vote by mail, but you will need a photo ID to register to vote in person or at a Vote Center. The same is true for people doing same-day registration.

The following are acceptable forms of ID:

• Driver’s license
• State ID
• Student ID
• Tribal ID
• Employer ID

If you don’t have an ID but want to vote in person, you will receive a provisional ballot. Your ballot will count as long as the signature on it matches that on your voter registration.

What special accommodations are available?

Mail-in voting makes voting more accessible to many citizens, especially those with disabilities. For people 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 and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. The registered voter will see the ballot on a monitor and select their candidates via a touch screen, select wheel, or other methods such as a sip-and-puff tool.

If you cannot cast your ballot due to a disability, someone can cast it for you. You can also ask an election official to help cast your vote.

If you have questions about the accessibility of your precinct’s vote center, contact your county elections department or the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at 800-448-4881.

What should I do if I see something illegal at the polls?

The only way the democratic process works is if the system is fair. Report anything suspicious to election officials. It doesn’t matter which political parties are involved in the suspicious behavior. Everybody needs to abide by the state election laws.

Report complaints to the Washington Secretary of State’s Office if you:

• Witness improper campaigning
• Suspect someone has cast a fraudulent vote
• Experience voter intimidation or harassment
• Had someone turn you away at the polls or deny you a provisional ballot
• Couldn’t vote due to a lack of accommodations for your disability in violation of the Help America Vote Act

You can call the Washington Attorney General’s office at (360) 753-6200.

A Washington Civil Rights Lawyer Can Help

Contact a civil rights lawyer in Washington if you feel someone has violated your voting rights. They can explain the voting laws in Washington and answer questions about voting in the general election or casting an absentee ballot.