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How to vote in Washington
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Washington voter registration guide
Washington voter registration deadlines
- Register to vote (online): 8 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Received 8 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): Election Day
Check your Washington voter registration status
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your Washington registration using the Washington voter registration lookup tool.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
Washington voter registration rules
To register in Washington you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be 18 years old by Election Day
- be a legal resident of Washington State, your county, and precinct for 30 days immediately preceding Election Day
- not be incarcerated or on community supervision for a felony.
Washington online voter registration
- You can register to vote online if you have a Washington driver's license, driver's permit, or state-issued photo ID card.
- Visit the Washington online voter registration tool.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your Local Election Office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 8 days before Election Day.
Washington by-mail voter registration
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: You must provide your Washington driver’s license or state ID card number. If you do not have a Washington driver’s license, or state ID card, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security Number. Failure to provide this information may prevent your registration from being processed.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You are not required to designate your party affiliation to register in Washington.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your Local Election Office.
- Your voter registration form must be received 8 days before Election Day
Washington in-person voter registration
- Contact your Local Election Office to find where to register to vote in person.
- Bring your Washington driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring one photo ID issued by any state or the federal government, and bring one document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
Washington same day registration
- Summary: Washington has same day registration. You can register and vote during the early voting period and on Election Day.
- Where to go:
Go to your designated voting location. Click here to find out where to vote.
- What to bring:
Bring your Washington driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring one photo ID issued by any state or the federal government, and bring one document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
- Need help? Contact your Local Election Office if you have questions.
Washington absentee and mail ballot guide
Washington absentee ballot overview
All Washington elections are held by mail. This means that Washington will automatically send a mail-in ballot to every registered voter ahead of all elections.
- If you need to update your mailing address permanently, register to vote again using your new mailing address.
- If you need to update your mailing address temporarily -- because you will be out of town for a specific election -- request a one-time absentee ballot.
Washington absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: Anytime
- Request deadline (online): N/A
- Request deadline (by mail): Received 8 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 8 days before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Postmarked by Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by Election Day
Washington absentee ballot rules
Washington elections are all vote-by-mail. You can still request a one-time absentee ballot if you will be from home during a specific election.
Washington absentee ballot directions
- All Washington elections are held by mail. This means that Washington will automatically send a mail-in ballot to every registered voter ahead of all elections.
- If you need to update your mailing address permanently, register to vote again using your new mailing address.
- If you need to update your mailing address temporarily -- because you will be out of town for a specific election -- request a one-time absentee ballot.
Request your ballot by mail
- Download the Washington absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your Local Election Office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your Local Election Office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- The deadline to apply by mail is: Received 8 days before Election Day.
Request your ballot in person
- Visit your Local Election Office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is: 8 days before Election Day.
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your Local Election Office. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a state-provided dropbox. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official dropbox.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be Postmarked by Election Day.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be Received by Election Day.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
Washington absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot: The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot: Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
Additional Washington voter information
Washington early voting
- Early voting starts: 18 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day
- What to bring: Most voters in Washington vote by mail. However, if you choose to vote in person, you should be prepared to show a non-expired photo ID. Acceptable forms of ID include a photo ID issued by any state or the federal government, a student ID issued by an accredited college or university, a tribal ID, or an employee ID. If you don't have a photo ID with you, you can vote a provisional ballot. This ballot will be counted as long as your signature matches your signature on file with the state.
Washington voter ID laws
- ID requirements for voting in person: Most voters in Washington vote by mail. However, if you choose to vote in person, you should be prepared to show a non-expired photo ID. Acceptable forms of ID include a photo ID issued by any state or the federal government, a student ID issued by an accredited college or university, a tribal ID, or an employee ID. If you don't have a photo ID with you, you can vote a provisional ballot. This ballot will be counted as long as your signature matches your signature on file with the state.
- ID requirements when requesting an absentee or mail ballot: The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
- ID requirements when returning an absentee or mail ballot: Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
Local Election Office
Contact your Local Election Office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for Washington elections. You can contact them with questions, but your Local Election Office will probably respond faster.
Secretary of State Elections Division P.O. Box 40229 Olympia, WA 98504‐0229
External resources
VoteAmerica resources
How to vote
How to vote